Two Leading Life Sciences IP Litigators Join Latham

Latham & Watkins LLP¹ is pleased to announce that Arlene Chow and Ernest Yakob have joined the firm’s New York office as partners in the Litigation & Trial Department and Intellectual Property Litigation Practice. Both are seasoned life sciences patent trial lawyers who focus on branded pharmaceutical cases in jurisdictions across the country.

Chow is an experienced first-chair litigator who handles district court trials, arguments before the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and inter partes review hearings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). She represents some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies in important litigations relating to small molecule and biologic drugs, including Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA) litigations, and has substantial experience leading biotech cases.

A skilled patent litigator, Yakob represents major, innovative life sciences companies in district courts, as well as post-grant review proceedings before the USPTO. Drawing on his substantial technical knowledge and multiple advanced degrees, Yakob serves as a technical strategist, working closely with in-house counsel and in-house scientists on the most complex competitor cases.

David Callahan, Global Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation Practice, said: “Arlene and Ernest are skilled trial lawyers and sophisticated strategists at the helm of some of the most notable patent matters in the life sciences space. They are phenomenal additions to our team, who will further expand our brand-side pharmaceutical and biotech platform following the addition of Adam Perlman in Washington, D.C. in January. We’re excited to have them on board.”

Mike Morin, Global Co-Chair of Latham’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Industry Group and Vice Chair of the IP Litigation Practice, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Arlene and Ernest. Our team is built on talented lawyers who can stay ahead of a fast-changing, innovative industry — and they are well positioned to advance those efforts. Moreover, their addition will further fortify Latham’s ability to be a one-stop-shop for brand-side pharma and biotech clients, offering best-in-class advocacy and counseling across practices, whether litigation, regulatory, or transactional.”

Michèle Penzer, New York Office Managing Partner, said: “We couldn’t be more pleased to have Arlene and Ernest join the firm. They add further depth and muscle to our IP Litigation Practice in New York by combining first-rate courtroom skills and advanced scientific training that will help drive results. Clients will benefit from their practical know-how and thoughtful guidance when navigating cutting-edge IP matters.”

“Ernest and I look forward to contributing to Latham’s impressive IP Litigation Practice and being a part of the firm’s multi-disciplinary life sciences platform,” said Chow. “We’ve seen the firm’s IP team grow strategically over the past decade into the premier trial practice that it is today and are excited to complement those capabilities.”

“We were drawn to Latham’s culture of collaboration and global platform, which serve pharma and biotech innovators so well” said Yakob. “I’m thrilled, along with Arlene, to join the firm’s dynamic, seamlessly integrated team and look forward to leveraging its platform to our clients’ benefit.”

Chow and Yakob join Latham from Hogan Lovells in New York. Chow earned her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University and her JD from Columbia Law School. Yakob completed Columbia University’s six-year Accelerated Interdisciplinary Legal Education Program, earning both his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and JD. In addition, he earned a Master of Science in Recombinant DNA Technology from New York University and a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. 

About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world’s largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

¹Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Firm of Salman M. Al-Sudairi, a limited liability company, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.