Tobias E. Zimmerman litigates complex civil disputes with an emphasis on intellectual property and telecommunications, bringing a background in computing and a strong interest in technology to his legal practice. Mr. Zimmerman litigates before numerous district courts and the U.S. International Trade Commission, where he handles investigations of patent infringement under Section 337 of the Tariff Act. Some of Mr. Zimmerman’s recent cases have included—
- a dispute over ownership and control of a country code top-level Internet domain (ccTLD) allocated prior to the formation of ICANN
- protecting the award-winning documentary series Eyes on the Prize from online piracy and sales of illegal DVDs
- a section 337 investigation concerning multiple patents covering semiconductor light emitting diodes (LEDs)
- a section 337 investigation concerning a patent for computer peripheral (KVM) switches.
Mr. Zimmerman also handles a number of matters involving Section 253 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which limits the authority of state and local governments over telecommunications providers and their use of the public rights-of-way.
Mr. Zimmerman uses his background in information technology to counsel and advise other attorneys on electronic discovery issues, including—
- what obligations their clients have to preserve and provide information before, during and after litigation
- best practices for managing electronic discovery in complex litigation
- and the tactical and strategic use of electronic discovery in litigation.
Prior to joining Akin Gump, Mr. Zimmerman was an intern in the chambers of the Honorable Paul L. Friedman, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Mr. Zimmerman received his B.A. in creative writing from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1996 and his J.D. cum laude in 2000 from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was a member of the
American Criminal Law Review. He is a member of Bars of the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and New York, and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia, Maryland and Massachusetts.