Christopher A. Suarez represents clients in complex intellectual property litigation and technology-driven matters and disputes, with a focus on patent, trade secret, copyright, and AI-related matters. Chris has extensive experience examining witnesses, arguing critical motions, and participating in trials and appeals at every level of the US court system. He also provides counseling in the context of numerous IP disputes involving parallel litigation overseas. 

Chris leverages experience at all stages of disputes to guide clients through high-stakes IP and technology matters involving:

  • Patent and trade secret litigation and related counseling involving electrical engineering and computer science technologies (EECS), graphical user interfaces, computer networking, semiconductors, drone technology, automotive sensor technology, medical devices, Wi-Fi 6 standard-essential patents, and more
  • Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) proceedings and parallel district court litigation, including inter partes reviews (IPRs) 
  • Federal Circuit appeals, where he has served as embedded appellate counsel for trial teams
  • AI-focused IP counseling, including model reviews, governance policy audits, licensing (including open source licensing), and transactional risk 

Before joining Latham, Chris was a partner and co-leader of the artificial intelligence, data, and digital group at another law firm. Earlier in his career, he clerked for Judge Timothy B. Dyk of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and Judge Joan B. Gottschall of the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Chris is active in several bar associations. He is the chair-elect of the ABA Science & Technology law section and is a Vice-Chair of the Federal Circuit Bar Association’s Patent Litigation Committee, where he leads the AI subcommittee.

Chris’ experience includes representing:

  • Ascent Aerosystems as lead counsel in a trade secrets and breach of contract dispute concerning coaxial drone technology; won a preliminary injunction after a three-day evidentiary hearing involving six witnesses*
  • DZEM (KUS) in connection with post-trial district court proceedings and associated Federal Circuit appeal involving automotive sensor technology*
  • Sercomm in a patent infringement case against Atlas Global Technologies related to alleged standard essential patents covering Wi-Fi 6 technology; managed fact and expert discovery and obtained favorable outcome for client before trial*
  • Express Mobile in a patent infringement case against GoDaddy related to mobile phone and website functionality; won a US$170+ million jury verdict, where the jury found all asserted claims at trial were infringed and valid; cross-examined defendant’s invalidity expert*
  • American Axle in the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in connection with an en banc and panel rehearing in which the court vacated and remanded an important case regarding patent eligibility*
  • A major social media company in connection with AI model reviews to identify potential IP and privacy risks and refine its AI model review process*
  • Panduit in the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in connection with appeals from the International Trade Commission (ITC) in connection with data center infrastructure patents*
  • A SaaS company in connection with AI-related due diligence for a major transaction*
  • Several companies in the retail and fashion industries in connection with their revising and adopting AI policies and procedures covering several AI use cases, including those involving collaborations with third-party vendors that use AI*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • District of Columbia
  • Illinois
  • US Patent and Trademark Office
  • Virginia

Education

  • JD, Yale Law School, 2011
    Executive Editor, Yale Law & Policy Review
  • BS in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science & Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006