Former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Experienced Trade Secret Litigator Laura Vartain Horn Joins Kirkland
Kirkland & Ellis is pleased to announce that Laura Vartain Horn has joined the Firm as a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group.
Ms. Vartain Horn is a former senior federal prosecutor with more than a decade of experience handling and overseeing significant criminal, intellectual property, national security and cybersecurity cases. She most recently served as Chief of the National Security and Cyber Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, where she led domestic and cross-border national security and cyber security prosecutions, including intellectual property prosecutions. In these roles, Ms. Vartain Horn has led and supervised dozens of high-profile technology cases to verdict covering complex issues concerning cutting-edge technologies.
“This is big for us. Laura’s unique blend of stellar trial work, extensive trade secret protection work and experience with government investigations is a perfect fit with our IP jury trial practice as well as other work we’re doing at the Firm,” said Adam Alper, a Kirkland IP litigation partner. “We are excited to welcome her to the team.”
During her time with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Vartain Horn tried nine federal cases while also holding supervisory roles in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for nearly seven years. Earlier this year, Ms. Vartain Horn served as the lead prosecutor on charges brought against an individual for stealing Google’s supercomputing and artificial intelligence technology. Months prior to that, she was the lead prosecutor who secured the federal convictions against the man who attempted to kidnap then-Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and assaulted Paul Pelosi.
“Our IP litigation team drives success through hard work, creativity and teamwork, particularly before juries at trial. We see that same passion and work ethic in Laura,” said Mike De Vries, a partner in Kirkland’s IP litigation practice. “She will fit in great with our team in California and across Kirkland.”
Prior to her role supervising national security and cyber work in Silicon Valley, Ms. Vartain Horn oversaw complex corruption, civil rights and white collar matters, including investigations conducted in parallel with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she was an associate at Latham & Watkins.
“The IP litigators at Kirkland have a remarkable track record in all phases of litigation, particularly in securing significant jury verdicts. Their success reflects relentless preparation as well as creativity and collaboration amongst a strong team and with their clients,” Ms. Vartain Horn said. “I’m thrilled to join this team and also to bring my government experience into Kirkland’s other litigation work including government, regulatory and internal investigations.”
Ms. Vartain Horn earned her bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College and her law degree from the George Washington University Law School.
