Kevin Block

Kevin Block has been practicing law for over 30 years in large firms, small firms, and now with his son. His practice focuses on land use, real estate and business matters, both transactions and litigation.

For nearly 10 years, Mr. Block practiced law in Russia, where he advised blue chip banks, in­vestment funds and multinational corporations on a wide range of projects, including corporate ac­quisi­tions, joint ventures, real estate development, debt and equity financing, governmental affairs and regulatory matters. 

Mr. Block acted as outside counsel to Deutsche Telekom, Cargill, Weyer­haeuser, Alcoa Aluminum, Daewoo, Bank of Austria, INVESCO Funds, Sea-Land, Alaska Airlines and Mitsui. He advised foreign and do­mestic government agencies, including the U.S. State Department, the State of Washington, and the Russian Federation Privatization Committee.

For many years, Mr. Block served as counsel to the Soros Foundation, estab­lished by philan­thropist George Soros to promote democratic change in Rus­sia and Eastern Europe. He also rep­resented the late leveraged buyout artist, Sir James Goldsmith, on numerous acquisitions in emerging markets across the former Soviet Union.

Mr. Block has litigated multiple complex cross-border actions. He was lead counsel to American investors in arbitration proceedings against Ukraine under the U.S.-Ukraine Bilateral Investment Treaty. Mr. Block has qualified as an expert witness in U.S. courts on Russian law.

A native of Napa Valley, Mr. Block returned from Europe in 1998. Today, his prac­tice focuses on the wine industry, with an emphasis on land use, state and federal court litigation, and com­plex business trans­actions. Mr. Block regularly represents clients in real estate acquisitions, cor­porate restructuring, and land use litigation, and has achieved favor­able results in breach of contract, unfair competition, easement, employment, trust and estate, environmental and trademark disputes.

In 2003, after serving two years on the Planning Commission, Mr. Block was elected to a four-year term on the Napa City Council, where he was known as a forceful advo­cate for the City’s economic renaissance. As a Council member, he played a key role in numerous development projects in and around the City and in improving rela­tions between the City and County govern­ments.

Mr. Block represented the City at the Napa County League of Governments, LAFCO, the Napa County Transportation Agency, the Airport Industrial Area Committee, and other commissions and joint power agencies. During his last two years in office, he was elected Vice Mayor by his Council colleagues. He continues to maintain the many friendships he made in public service.

Mr. Block was formerly a partner with Holme, Roberts & Owen, a 250-lawyer firm head­quartered in Denver, Colorado. He holds degrees from NYU Law School, Columbia University, and Oberlin College. Fluent in Russian, Mr. Block lives in Napa with his wife of 25 years, Tanya, and their three sons.