Atty. J. Michael "Mike" Jakes
Mike Jakes concentrates his practice on patent litigation and related counseling. He serves as lead counsel in federal district courts and the U.S.
Profile Summary
About J. Michael "Mike" Jakes at a glance
J. Michael "Mike" Jakes is a patent and appellate attorney based in Washington, District of Columbia, practicing at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP. Educated at Georgetown University (J.D., 1986) and Georgetown University (—, 1986). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Appellate Practice (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Patent (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Special Focus: (2026). Serands clients in Washington, DC and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Mike Jakes concentrates his practice on patent litigation and related counseling
- He serves as lead counsel in federal district courts and the U.S
- International Trade Commission (ITC), before arbitration panels, and on appeal to the U.S
- Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Mike deals mainly with computer, electronics, semiconductor, software, and medical device technologies
- Mike has vast experience at the Federal Circuit, having argued more than 45 appeals and prepared and filed briefs in many more
- He served as a law clerk to the Honorable Giles S. Rich at the Federal Circuit
- He is a coauthor of Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: Practice & Procedure, published by LexisNexis
- He was also a member of the Federal Circuit’s Advisory Council
- Mike has been described in Chambers USA as “one of the most talented patent lawyers out there,” “an exceptionally talented litigator who is picked by clients when hundreds of millions are at stake,” and “one of the premier appellate litigators for cases involving electronics and medical devices.” Mike has been recognized as a leading patent litigator in the D.C. area and nationally before the Federal Circuit by Intellectual Asset Management and was named one of the top ten business litigators in D.C. by Legal Times
- He has ranked among top U.S. patent lawyers in Legal Media Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading Patent Law Practitioners since 2015
- Mike has served as both a special master and technical advisor to various U.S. district courts, assisting with claim construction and summary judgment motions on patents covering a wide variety of subjects
- He is also a trained mediator, having completed the American Arbitration Association’s mediator training course
Practice Areas Explained
J. Michael "Mike" Jakes's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases J. Michael "Mike" Jakes handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
J. Michael "Mike" Jakes is one of 20,749 patent attorneys indexed nationally. Browse patent attorneys in District of Columbia →
Appellate attorneys for civil and criminal appeals at state and federal court.
J. Michael "Mike" Jakes is one of 86,319 appellate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse appellate attorneys in District of Columbia →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in District of Columbia
Practicing law in District of Columbia. Legal matters in District of Columbia are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Washington are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate District of Columbia state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in District of Columbia brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in District of Columbia courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional District of Columbia attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Washington or all attorneys in District of Columbia.
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