Welcome

I took a different path than most IP lawyers.  

​

At its heart, litigation demands effective communication.  I started early, working after high school and on weekends to hone those skills as a telemarketer. My job was to convince people living in mobile homes to refinance their home loans. I excelled at explaining complex concepts to people who may not have had the benefit of extensive education--a skill that I continue to use in every case I litigate. Within a few months I was supervising groups of customer service representatives and responsible for handling escalations with unhappy customers. I worked in and around call centers full time through college, managing difficult customer situations and developing technical solutions for call center management.

​

My undergraduate degree is in anthropology, not engineering or science or math. While understanding the technology at issue is critical in aspects of a patent case, the need to understand people and be able to effectively and persuasively communicate with them is front and center every single day.  Learning about cultures was a great way to learn that one's communication style must be tailored to your audience, and that any one person's subjective, personal experience will dictate the style of communication that will end up being most effective.

​

I was fortunate to start my legal career working with some of the best IP litigators in the country.  I worked hard, not just to help my clients succeed, but to absorb every lesson I could from the phenomenal lawyers with whom I practiced. After eight years at a big firm, and nearly a billion dollars in recoveries for my IP clients, I went in house as the GC of a startup.  Startup life requires everyone to do everything.  My title was GC and VP of Licensing, but my roles included everything from inventor to sales to fundraising to strategist.

​

Unlike many lawyers who focus solely on their IP practice, I have worked on a wide range of non-IP matters.  That experience has made me a better, more creative IP lawyer. My in-house experience has made me practical, focused on my client's needs instead of just another a billable hour. See for yourself how the Zimmerman Firm can help you.