Education & Practice History

Vanessa Zimmer, Esq., CIPP-US

Growing up, I wanted to be a basketball player and a doctor (like Dr. J, as I used to say), then an actress, then a musician. Instead, I went to law school to be a public defender and came out a commercial real estate associate.  Almost two decades later I’m a Certified Information Privacy Professional. Life is funny like that.

I’m a tried and true privacy nerd but throughout my career, I have gained experience with labor and employment matters, commercial transactions, business counseling, privacy & data protection, mergers & acquisitions, advertising & marketing, sweepstakes, contests & promotions, social media, human resources, e-commerce, consumer protection, anti-bribery/corruption, direct sales & multi-level marketing, international expansions, emerging business models, and real estate.  Many of these areas were not within my original job descriptions but became part of my practice as my skills and rapport with business partners developed.  

I am proof that an old dog can learn new tricks while still perfecting the old ones.

Although it sometimes feels like I’ve done every legal thing there is to do, I currently specialize in all things commercial, including contracts, consumer protection, privacy & data protection, and ethics & compliance.  I closed my private practice in 2022 to start a new adventure as in-house counsel and I’m currently with FabFitFun, Inc.

I strive to be the trusted counselor that every business needs by understanding a company’s business model, operational structure, corporate culture, risk tolerance, and legal climate of the markets in which it does business. I expect, and even welcome, push-back from my business partners because it means they are just as engaged and invested in the outcome as I am.

Bar Admissions

-Illinois, 2006 (currently inactive)

-California, 2011 (as active as a lawyer can be)

Education

-J.D., Northwestern University School of Law, 2006, cum laude
-B.A., Italian & English, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2003, High Honors & Phi Beta Kappa

Other

Certified Information Privacy Professional-U.S.

I don’t really do social media but you can find me on LinkedIn.