Jacob Vannette

Jake Vannette is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Latham & Watkins, where he focuses on intellectual property litigation and counseling across a range of technology sectors.

Jake is a USPTO-registered patent attorney who represents clients in complex and high-stakes intellectual property litigation in federal district and appellate courts, before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and at the International Trade Commission. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, which equips him to litigate disputes across a wide spectrum of technologies, including control systems, medical devices, electronics, communication systems, and materials science.

Jake has led teams in all phases of patent and IP litigation, including pre-suit investigations, fact and expert discovery, preliminary and permanent injunction proceedings, witness preparation, claim construction, discovery and dispositive motions, and trial and appellate advocacy in federal district courts, administrative agencies, and appellate courts around the country. In particular, he has presented oral argument before the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and in multiple federal district courts. 

Jake previously served as a law clerk to Judge Sharon Prost of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the nation’s preeminent patent appellate court, and to Judge Robert W. Schroeder III of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, one of the busiest patent trial dockets in the country. These clerkships give Jake an insider’s perspective on how judges evaluate complex technical disputes, a perspective he draws on to present sophisticated arguments — both in the courtroom and on the page — with discipline, clarity, and impact. 

Jake also maintains an active pro bono practice. He has represented clients before the US Patent and Trademark Office, veterans before the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, asylum applicants in immigration court, and has supported a guardian ad litem in child welfare proceedings.

Before joining Latham, Jake was an associate at another major international law firm, where he litigated intellectual property disputes, handled patent prosecution, and performed IP due diligence in connection with corporate transactions.