Brett Sandford is a first chair trial lawyer representing clients in high-stakes intellectual property cases, with a focus on trial and high-value cases.
Brett draws on experience — in more than a dozen trials and at every stage of the litigation process — to help clients pursue and defend a range of intellectual property claims, including patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, trademark, and copyright.
Brett has successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants in all of the patent-heavy districts. He has a highly developed team ethos, informed by a prior career in professional baseball, and an ability to play the long game to achieve success for his clients. Brett has developed expertise in the trial phase, as well as handling intellectual property damages and valuation. He has successfully led damages cases for clients on the plaintiff and defense side, including successful lost profits and royalty verdicts, and achieving a unique result of zero damages for established direct infringement that was affirmed by the Federal Circuit on appeal.
Brett represents clients in every forum, including in district court and before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, the International Trade Commission (ITC), and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). He also serves as Co-Chair on Latham’s Artificial Intelligence committee for the IP group and maintains an active pro bono practice, with a focus on helping clients win at trial.
Prior to joining Latham, Brett was a judicial extern for Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Corley of the Northern District of California. He also served as a judicial intern for Judge Thomas P. Anderle and Judge Brian E. Hill in the Santa Barbara Superior Court.
During law school, Brett was a member of the Giles Sutherland Rich Memorial Moot Court Competition and an executive editor of the Berkeley Business Law Journal. He received the Prosser Award for trial advocacy.
Brett’s exemplary matters include representing:
Intellectual Property Litigation partner recognized among California's leading lawyers.
Two Latham litigation teams were recognized for winning a US$2.3 million jury verdict for a victim of revenge porn in a pro bono case, as well as a victory for the Atlantic Coast Conference in a case involving major athletic conferences and Name, Image, and Likeness claims.
Latham honored for securing a US$10.75 million damages verdict for client Philip Morris International in a patent infringement trial over vaping technology against R.J. Reynolds Vapor.