Irving M. Blank
A Leader in Virginia Law for More Than 50 Years
Irving M. Blank has devoted his career to representing clients in serious personal injury, wrongful death, and malpractice cases throughout Virginia. A partner at Blank & Marcus, he is known for taking on high-stakes litigation—and winning. With more than 95% of his practice dedicated to trial work, Mr. Blank has earned a reputation among peers, judges, and insurance companies as a relentless advocate for injured clients.
Respected by Courts, Colleagues & the Community
- Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame, 2018
- Virginia Leader in the Law, 2011
- Virginia Super Lawyer, 2006–Present
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow, Virginia Law Foundation
- Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys Civility & Professionalism Award, 2020
Mr. Blank has also been appointed by seven different Governors of Virginia to boards and commissions, reflecting his broad influence and leadership in the legal community.
Major Verdicts & Settlements Across Virginia
Irving Blank has handled landmark cases before the Virginia Supreme Court and secured multi-million-dollar recoveries for clients, including:
- $5M settlement – Car & truck accident involving two infant deaths
- $4M settlement
– Balcony fall in Richmond
- $2.5M settlement – Chemical burn wrongful death in Richmond
- $1.775M settlement
– Slip and fall case
- $1M settlement – Motorcycle accident in Chesterfield
- Multiple $1M+ verdicts in motor vehicle, product liability, and toxic exposure cases
Representative reported cases include Lee v. Southland Corp., Memco Stores, Inc. v. Yeatman, Waters v. Safeway Stores, Inc., and Williams v. Condit.
Shaping the Practice of Law in Virginia
Beyond his trial practice, Irving Blank has been a leader in bar associations, professional organizations, and community service for decades. He served as President of the Virginia State Bar (2010–2011), sits on the Board of Visitors of Averett University, and has been deeply involved with the Virginia Israel Advisory Committee since 1996.
His roles have also included:
- Board of Directors, Central Virginia Legal Aid
- Faculty Member, Carrico Professionalism Course
- Member, Boyd-Graves Conference (2015–Present)
- Chairman, Nuremberg Courtroom Exhibit Committee at the Virginia Holocaust Museum
- Virginia State Bar President
Rooted in Richmond & Virginia Tech
Mr. Blank earned his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law in 1967 and his B.S. in Public Administration from Virginia Tech in 1966, where he was co-captain of the tennis team and a member of the Civilian Honor Court. After law school, he served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
Author & Educator in Trial Practice
He authored “Trial Tactics for Premise Liability Cases,” published in the Journal of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association (Summer 1994), and has lectured extensively on trial tactics, discovery, and constitutional law. His teaching includes serving as an instructor at the Richmond Police Academy from 1970–1975.