Jacob Morton earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center where he was notes editor of the Georgetown Law Journal and solicitations editor of the Georgetown Law Technology Review. He received a master's degree with merit in conflict, security and development from King's College London and a bachelor's degree summa cum laude in history and political science from North Carolina State University as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Jacob served on active duty as a U.S. Navy intelligence officer for 10 years, including a deployment on USS Wasp to the Mediterranean and Red Seas, a posting in Bahrain and a stint at the Defense Intelligence Agency. Prior to his military service, he was a high school social studies teacher in North Carolina.