In Memoriam: 

Blake Ackerman

We mourn the tragic and sudden loss of our associate, friend, and Morgan Lewis family member Blake Ackerman, who was killed on July 10 in a hit-and-run accident while bicycling in Los Angeles. Blake was kind, vibrant, and full of limitless potential. He lived well and accomplished so much in his all-too-short years.

Blake was a litigation associate in the Morgan Lewis Century City office. Before joining our firm, Blake clerked for Judge Clyde J. Wadsworth of the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals (2023–2025) and served as Judicial Extern to Judge Autumn D. Spaeth of the US District Court for the Central District of California (2021). After graduating from the University of Southern California in 2020—where he was the undergraduate student body vice president—he received his JD in 2023 from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles where he was a senior articles editor for the Law Review, president of the school’s Surf and Ski Club, and a member of the Jewish Law Students Association. While in college, he cofounded a human rights advocacy group dedicated to prison education and the prison-to-school pipeline.

Blake was an exceptional person with a contagious smile and personality—a bright rising star, full of life and positivity. Knowing that one colleague shared his love for Hawaii, Blake would greet her with “aloha” to say hello and “mahalo” to give thanks. He was also known for giving back, and shortly before his death, Blake asked one of our partners to work with him on a pro bono matter to help someone in need; we will see that through in his memory.

Our entire Morgan Lewis community is holding Blake and his loved ones in our thoughts and hearts during this incredibly difficult time. We will miss and remember him.