Jim Burger is a senior advisor with Dow Lohnes Government Strategies specializing in representation of technology companies on intellectual property, communications and government policy matters. Mr. Burger also is a Member of Dow Lohnes where he joined the firm’s Media, Information and Technologies group in January, 1997. Prior to that, Mr. Burger was a Senior Director in Apple Computer’s Law Department – Worldwide Government Affairs. During the nine years he was at Apple, Mr. Burger had a variety of assignments, including representing Apple’s Advanced Technology Group, USA Field Sales organizations, and World-Wide Operations and Manufacturing, as well as General Counsel for Europe and Latin America and running Federal, State and international government relations. In addition, from 1991 until 1996, he was Chair of the Information Technology Industry Council’s Proprietary Rights Committee.
Mr. Burger has worked extensively on legal and policy issues arising from the confluence of digital technology, intellectual property protection, communications, and government regulation, particularly those affecting the Internet. In addition, Mr. Burger has participated in resolving such complex policy/technical issues as DCD copy protection, AACS copy protection for Blu-ray discs, and digital download of music - representing the Computer Industry Group in negotiations developing the DVD copy protection rule as well as in the Secure Digital Music Initiative. Mr. Burger also has represented information technology clients before the Federal Communications Commission in proceedings such as the Digital TV transition, the Broadcast Flag, V-Chip, and Internet-related proceedings. Mr. Burger has extensive government relations experience and has been engaged in such matters before Congress such as the efforts to amend copyright law from leading the negotiations to exclude the computer industry from the Audio Home Recording Act to avoid passage of the Digital Video Recording Act. He also has represented information technology companies before the Administration and Congress on international agreements affecting intellectual property law such as the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and the Broadcasting Treaty. In addition, Mr. Burger has been active in lobbying communications matters such as the Digital TV Transition legislation. Finally, Mr. Burger has represented individual semiconductor companies and the Semiconductor Industry Association before Congress and the Administration in the efforts to thwart counterfeit semiconductors.
A native of New York City, he received his Bachelors (with Honors), Masters and Law (cum laude) degrees from New York University School of Law, where he served as an editor of the NYU Law Journal. For nine years, he was an adjunct professor at University of Virginia Law School, where he taught Advanced Administrative law.
Affiliations
Bar Admissions – New York, 1972; District of Columbia, 1972; Supreme Court, 1975
Adjunct Professor – University of Virginia School of Law, 1973-1982
Chair – Proprietary Rights Committee, Information Technology Industry Council, 1990-1996
Chairman – Alliance for the Promotion of Software Innovation, 1993-1996
Member – United States Trade Representative & Department of Commerce, Industrial Function Advisory Committee on Intellectual Property Rights For Trade Policy Matters, 1990-1997
Member – Federal Communications Bar Association
Co-Chair – Federal Communications Bar Association Intellectual Property Committee
Editor – New York University Law School Law Review
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America