A seasoned litigator, Mr. Zimmerman practices extensively and has obtained multi-million dollar jury verdicts in class action, corporate, commercial, medical malpractice, consumer fraud, constitutional due process, general civil, product liability, toxic tort, and other complex litigation. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants nationwide in state and federal trial and appellate courts. He also represents individuals and corporations in transactional matters, and before state and federal administrative and regulatory agencies.
Mr. Zimmerman has been lead counsel in national and state-wide class action litigation, and has handled other multi-party litigation involving such companies as MCI/Worldcom, United Airlines, Peoples Gas, AT&T, Warner-Lambert, Pfizer, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., DaimlerChrysler, ADT, Ford Motor Co., Mead Johnson, KCBX, Inland Bank, Commonwealth Edison, Ameritech, Wells Fargo, and Bridgestone/Firestone. He is well respected for his representation of physicians, dentists, nurses, psychologists, veterinarians, and many other licensed professionals before state and federal agencies including the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
In 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, he was selected as a Super Lawyer in the area of class action and mass torts.
In 2000, he was voted one of the Top 40 Illinois Attorneys Under the Age of 40. This is especially notable, as he was chosen out of 60,000 attorneys in Illinois under the age of forty.
In 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed Mr. Zimmerman to the Review Board of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (“ARDC”). He served in that capacity until 2011, wherein he presided over appeals by attorneys who have been found to have committed misconduct, and recommended discipline for their ethical violations. In 2013, the ARDC appointed Mr. Zimmerman as Special Counsel, wherein he conducts independent investigations in matters involving allegations of misconduct against attorneys associated with the ARDC.
Additionally, the Illinois Governor appointed Mr. Zimmerman to the Illinois Courts Commission. A Commission member presides over proceedings wherein judges are charged with committing ethical violations, and imposes discipline on judges who are found to have engaged in misconduct.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Zimmerman worked for AT&T where he negotiated partnerships with companies for domestic and international joint-venture and new product development activities. During this time, he was the featured speaker at 400 conferences, seminars and presentations. Thereafter, he presented oral testimony at various Federal Senate and Congressional hearings.
Mr. Zimmerman earned a B.S. in computer science-mathematics from the University of Illinois, and an M.B.A. in finance from DePaul University in the evenings while working for AT&T. After leaving AT&T, Mr. Zimmerman earned his law degree from the Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he was a Ramsey-Burke Scholarship recipient and earned the Academic Achievement Award.
He is admitted to practice law in Illinois, and other states on a case-by-case basis, and he is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, federal district courts and federal court of appeals. Based on his demonstrated experience and ability, he was appointed to the federal court trial bar.
Mr. Zimmerman is currently the chair of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Attorney Advisory Committee, and was formerly co-chair of the Clerk of the Circuit Court Transition and Strategic Planning Public Policy Subcommittee.
Mr. Zimmerman is a member of the Illinois State and Chicago Bar Associations, and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, where he serves on various committees. He is also a member of the American Association for Justice. In 2000, he was appointed to the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Board of Advocates.
Involved in numerous community service activities, Mr. Zimmerman has been an Illinois State Board of Education surrogate parent of disabled children since 1988. In addition, he was a speaker on the rights of disabled people for the Illinois Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, and a Family Shelter Service counselor to battered children for many years. He has been recognized by the federal court for his pro bono representation of indigent clients.
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Auto Accidents
- Malpractice & Negligence
- Defective Products
- Wrongful Death
- Consumer Rights / Fraud
- Class Action Lawsuits
- Business Transactions
- Business Litigation
- State Licensure Issues
- Federal Licensure Issues
- Corporate
- Commercial
- Medical Malpractice
- Consumer Fraud
- General Civil
- Product Liability
- Toxic Tort
- Complex Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals – 6th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals – 7th Circuit
- U.S. District Court – Northern District Illinois
- U.S. District Court – Central District Illinois
- U.S. District Court – Southern District Illinois
- U.S. District Court – Eastern District Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court – Colorado
Education
- Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois
- J.D. – 1996
- Honors:
- Recipient, Ramsey-Burke Scholarship
- Academic Achievement Award
- DePaul University, Chicago, IL
- M.B.A. – 1992
- Major: Finance
- University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
- B.S. – 1988
- Major: Computer Science
- Major: Mathematics
Honors and Awards
- Top 40 Illinois Attorneys Under The Age of 40, 2000
- Super Lawyer in the area of class action and mass torts, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Association for Justice, Member
- Illinois State Bar Association, Member
- Chicago Bar Association, Member
- Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- National and State-Wide Class Action Litigation, Lead Counsel
- Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Attorney Advisory Committee Chair
- Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Circuit Court Transition and Strategic Planning Public Policy Subcomm.
