Annaka Nava

Annaka Nava is a partner in Goodwin’s award-winning Life Sciences and Technology groups, where she focuses on patent litigation. Drawing on her scientific training and research experience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Annaka represents pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and technology companies in high-stakes intellectual property disputes. 

Annaka represents both plaintiffs and defendants at all stages of complex patent litigation in federal district courts and before the United States International Trade Commission (ITC). An experienced trial lawyer, she has examined fact and expert witnesses and argued dispositive and evidentiary issues in multiple jury trials, bench trials, and ITC evidentiary hearings. 

These matters frequently involve technologies and therapies representing billions of dollars in annual revenue, significant research and development investments, and valuable market exclusivity. Representative technologies include pharmaceuticals, biologics, biosimilars, antibody therapies, polymorphs, diagnostics, medical devices, and other advanced technologies. 

Annaka has a particular interest in emerging technologies affecting the life sciences industry, including artificial intelligence-enabled drug development. She recently completed MIT’s Artificial Intelligence in Pharma and Biotech program, exploring AI and machine learning applications in drug discovery, clinical trials, and biotech innovation.

Before practicing law, Annaka conducted scientific research on breast cancer, obtaining hands-on experience in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, and related laboratory techniques. She is the first author of a peer-reviewed publication in Endocrine-Related Cancer examining the molecular links between obesity and breast cancer that has been cited more than 600 times in the scientific literature. Her scientific training enables her to work seamlessly with scientists and expert witnesses and to translate complex technical issues into persuasive litigation strategies and practical business advice.

Representative Life Sciences Litigation 

• Defended MSN Pharmaceuticals in Hatch-Waxman litigation involving the generic version of WAKIX® (pitolisant), a treatment for narcolepsy. Successfully defended key portions of MSN’s expert report concerning polymorphism against a motion to strike, after which the case settled on the eve of the pretrial conference.
• Defended Sandoz in Hatch-Waxman litigation involving the generic version of ERLEADA® (apalutamide), a prostate cancer therapy with annual global sales exceeding $3 billion. Successfully secured dismissal of four asserted patents, substantially narrowing the case. The case proceeded through expert discovery before settlement.
• Represented a leading brand company in matters involving the Cabilly patents, foundational antibody technology patents that generated billions of dollars in licensing revenue.* 
• Represented a leading university in patent litigation involving wound vac medical devices, resulting in a nine-figure settlement.*
• Defended a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company through trial in patent litigation involving methylphenidate products within the multi-billion-dollar ADHD therapeutics market.

Representative High-Tech Litigation

• Represented a leading telematics technology company in patent litigation in the District of New Jersey. Obtained dismissal of breach of contract counterclaims and secured a favorable Markman ruling before the case settled.
• Defended Poshmark in patent litigation in the District of Maryland. Secured complete dismissal of the complaint. 
• Represented Samsung in an ITC investigation involving LED display technology through evidentiary hearing and subsequent Commission review proceedings.
• Defended Garmin in patent litigation in the Eastern District of Virginia in a case involving navigation software technologies, obtaining a favorable jury verdict of non-infringement.*
• Represented a Fortune 50 technology company as both complainant and respondent in multiple ITC investigations involving consumer electronics and complex global supply chains.*
• Represented a pioneering Wi-Fi technology company in patent litigation in the District of Massachusetts against a major technology company. The matter settled favorably on the eve of trial.*

*Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin.

Prior to joining Goodwin, Annaka practiced patent litigation at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. She also served as in-house counsel at a biotech investment firm, where she advised on freedom-to-operate, licensing, and patent strategy matters—experience that informs her business-minded approach to litigation.

Annaka is committed to pro bono service and has represented the American Civil Liberties Union and other nationally recognized advocacy organizations in matters involving women’s rights and educational equity.

Annaka also serves on the Steering Committee of the Washington, DC chapter of Goodwin’s Women@Goodwin initiative, where she is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of lawyers.

• Co-Speaker, “AI and the Law: Pitfalls and Best Practices,” Presentation for In-house Legal and Business Stakeholders, April 14, 2026.
• Speaker, “From Discovery to Dollars: Winning Strategies for Attracting Investors,” Presented at the Fall 2025 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, August 18, 2025, Division of Medicinal Chemistry.
• Co-Author, “Latest Patent News In Women’s Health,” MedCity News, May 29, 2025.
• Co-Author, “High Court’s Abortion Pill Ruling Shuts Out Future Challenges,” Law360, June 18, 2024.
• Co-Author, “Regulation of Angiogenesis in Cancer and its Therapeutic Implications,” in ANTIANGIOGENIC AGENTS IN CANCER THERAPY 331-349 (Beverly Teicher ed., 2008).
• Co-Author, “A Role for HOXB7 Homeodomain Protein in DNA Repair,” Cancer Res. 2007 Feb 15;67(4):1527-35.
• Co-Author, “Molecular Links Between Obesity and Breast Cancer,” Endocr. Relat. Cancer 2006 Jun;13(2):279-92.