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Jim Burger

Partner

Washington, D.C.
202 585 6909 direct

OVERVIEW
INSIGHTS
NEWS & EVENTS
RELATED INFORMATION

INDUSTRIES

Information Technology

PRACTICES

Education
- New York University School of Law,
  
  J.D., cum laude, 1971
  
  Editor, New York University Law School Review
  
  Order of the Coif
- New York University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,
  
  M.A., 1968
- New York University,
  
  B.A., with honors, 1967
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- New York
Affiliations
- ABA Copyright Litigation - Legislation Subcommittee
  
  Chair, 2018-present
- Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE)
  
  Member, Board of Governors
- House STEM Education Caucus Steering Committee
  
  Member
- Federal Communications Bar Association
  
  Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Committee
- United States Trade Representative & Department of Commerce
  
  Member, Industrial Function Advisory Committee on Intellectual Property Rights For Trade Policy Matters, 1990-1997
- Alliance for the Promotion of Software Innovation
  
  Chairman, 1993-1996
- Information Technology Industry Council
  
  Chair, Proprietary Rights Committee, 1990-1996
Recognitions
- Named Lawyer of the Year for Copyright Law in Washington D.C. by The Best Lawyers in America (by BL Rankings), 2016; 2018
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (by BL Rankings) for Technology Law, 2007-2021
- Listed in Washington D.C. Super Lawyers (by Thomson Reuters), 2016-2020
Instruction
- Adjunct professor, Georgetown Law Center
  
  Copyright Law, 2014-Present
- Adjunct professor, University of Virginia Law School
  
  Advanced Administrative Law, 1973-1982

For more than 30 years, Jim has provided intellectual property counseling, communications, and government relations support to the information technology industry.

He has worked extensively on legal and policy issues arising from the intersection of digital technology, intellectual property protection, communications, and government regulation. Jim has represented the Computer Industry Group and other information technology entities in efforts to secure copy protection rules for DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and digital music downloads. He has also represented technology clients before the Administration, Congress, and the FCC regarding the Digital TV Transition, the Broadcast Flag, domestic copyright legislation, and international agreements affecting U.S. intellectual property law.

Jim has worked with clients on amending the Copyright Act as well as leading information technology industry negotiations to exclude the computer industry from the Audio Home Recording Act, to avoid passage of the Digital Video Recording Act, to limit the reach of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and to prevent passage of analog hole legislation. In addition, he has worked with the semiconductor industry in its successful efforts to pass legislation to intercept dangerous counterfeit semiconductors at the border. Jim stays up to date on the ever-changing technology of today and tomorrow. Currently, he is guiding companies through the complex legal and technical aspects of the relatively new ultra HD format.

Also on the legislative side, Jim helped a STEM-related nonprofit organization secure the inclusion of language in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for several provisions, including a STEM master teacher corps program in Title II, the expansion of 21st century community learning centers, and funding for student robotics competitions.

Clients have described Jim as an "invaluable resource" who is "uniquely able to translate complex technology issues into language that policymakers understand" and who gives clients clear explanations of the options before them.

Thompson Coburn Publications

Participate in standard-setting bodies? The enforceability of your patents could be affected August 21, 2018

9th Circuit’s VidAngel decision vindicates lawful video filtering service September 12, 2017

Micro UAS Committee charts bold new course for FAA treatment of smaller unmanned aircraft April 6, 2016

Senate committee examines unmanned aircraft system safety, privacy concerns October 29, 2015

TPP accord faces uncertain future in Congress October 9, 2015

And on that farm he had a drone: UAS deployment in precision agriculture September 3, 2015

Small Business Committee holds hearing to explore commercial drone operations July 23, 2015

FAA grants exemption for large crop-spraying unmanned aircraft May 6, 2015

Section 333 at 200 days: Where are we now? April 17, 2015

Amazon Prime Air closer to takeoff: FAA grants Internet giant's request for drone ‘exemption’ and experimental certificate March 20, 2015

Final approach: FAA announces long-awaited small UAS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking February 17, 2015

FAA settles trail-blazing drone case for $1,100 January 28, 2015

Electronic waste rules could help thwart flow of counterfeit parts January 22, 2015

Counterfeits can kill U.S. troops. So why isn't Congress and DoD doing more to stop it? August 13, 2013

Blogs

The Grinch loses and protection of parody wins September 21, 2017

The Grinch that stole fair use? August 4, 2017

Copyright Office changes procedures for DMCA agent designations December 9, 2016

Presentations

Moderator, "Inventing TV 3.0: Defining the Set Top, Connected TV, Tablet & Smartphone Downloadable Consumer Experience";
2013 International CES, Las Vegas, NV, January 9, 2013

Keynote speaker, "Consumer Drawbacks of Cloud-Delivered Content: Privacy, Reliability, Security Issues";
2013 International CES, Las Vegas, NV, January 9, 2013

"After the Ordeal: Public Policy in the Post-SOPA/PIPA World";
Copyright and Technology NYC 2012 Conference, December 5, 2012