Jacob is a former trial attorney in the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice, with past experience clerking for two U.S. District Court judges following his 2019 graduation from Yale Law School. As a member of the Civil Division’s Torts Branch, Jacob litigated in federal courts across the country, provided legal advice to federal agencies, and helped policymakers navigate emerging legal issues. He relies on this experience to guide clients through all stages of litigation.
Before joining Shook, Jacob represented federal employees (including Cabinet-level officials) in toxic tort cases, civil rights matters, and common-law tort actions. He has served as lead counsel in 13 civil actions (including one class action), written numerous dispositive motions, taken and defended depositions, planned and conducted discovery, and first-chaired oral arguments in federal district court. Jacob also prepared formal appeal recommendations for agency leaders, helped draft briefs in cases before several U.S. Courts of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court, and advised policymakers on the impact of proposed regulatory actions. In recognition of his work, Jacob received a “Special Commendation for Outstanding Service in the Civil Division.”
At Yale Law School, Jacob was submissions editor for the Yale Journal of Law & the Humanities. After graduating, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Diana Saldaña of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, assisting the judge on opinions covering a wide range of complex civil and criminal matters. As law clerk to the Honorable Frederic Block of the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of New York, Jacob performed similar work while also preparing bench memos and assisting with appellate opinions when Judge Block sat by designation on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Jacob graduated magna cum laude from Yale College in 2016 and received several academic awards.
Representative Matters
Feds for Medical Freedom v. Garland, No. 4:23-cv-1817, 2024 WL 1859958 (S.D. Tex. Apr. 29, 2024): Briefed and argued a motion to dismiss putative class claims challenging the Department of Justice’s COVID-19 vaccination policies under the First Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Following oral argument, the district court granted the motion and dismissed all claims against Jacob’s clients.
Libman v. United States, No. 2:21-cv-9455, 2022 WL 18284664 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 1, 2022): Briefed and argued motions to dismiss constitutional and § 1985 civil rights conspiracy claims based upon the FBI’s search of a home. After two rounds of briefing, the district court dismissed all claims against Jacob’s clients. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court’s decision.
Vega v. Tekoh, 597 U.S. 134 (2022): Edited and helped develop arguments for amicus brief filed by the United States Department of Justice in support of Petitioner’s argument that a law enforcement officer’s failure to provide a “Miranda warning” did not give rise to liability under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The Supreme Court agreed with the United States’ argument and declined to allow a § 1983 action based upon a police officer’s failure to provide Miranda warnings.
Halgat v. United States, No. 2:22-cv-592, 2024 WL 1377116 (D. Nev. Mar. 29, 2024): Briefed and argued motions to dismiss claims against the United States and federal employees based on allegations of malicious prosecution and various Nevada state torts. The plaintiff voluntarily dismissed all claims against the employees, and the district court dismissed the remaining claims against the United States.
Publications
Montana Enacts First-of-Its-Kind Law to Stem Expansions of Public Nuisance Liability, Washington Legal Foundation, June 2, 2025 (with Cary Silverman).