Jonathan Jacobs

Jonathan S. Jacobs
Telephone: 434-977-9666 
Email: jonathan@zoblaw.com

Mr. Jacobs is an experienced trial lawyer, who routinely appears in courts across the country on behalf of Fortune 500 clients, smaller companies, and individuals. Mr. Jacobs has handled a broad array of business cases: trade-secret cases, real estate disputes, insurance, intellectual property litigation, commercial fraud, breach-of-contract matters, and employment disputes.

 Mr. Jacobs was selected as a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in the category of Business Litigation, a distinction given only to the top 2.5% of attorneys in Washington, D.C.

 Mr. Jacobs’ practice has a particular focus on issues affecting hospitality companies, having represented Marriott International, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Ryman Hospitality Properties/Gaylord Entertainment Company, DiamondRock Hospitality Co., and other hospitality companies in connection with hundreds of litigation matters involving franchise litigation, employment disputes, contract breaches, and numerous other subject areas.

Mr. Jacobs has also handled criminal defense matters arising out of high-profile political corruption investigations and fraud. Over the years, Mr. Jacobs has conducted witness interviews and drafted reports for numerous internal investigations regarding fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act issues, and employee malfeasance.

Mr. Jacobs is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, the Virginia State Bar, and various federal courts throughout the country.

Background

Mr. Jacobs received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University, and his Juris Doctor with honors from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as Editor of The Georgetown Law Journal and Executive Editor of The Georgetown Law Journal’s Annual Review of Criminal Procedure.

Before joining Zobrist Law Group, Mr. Jacobs worked as a business trial lawyer at a different Washington, D.C. litigation boutique. Before practicing law, Mr. Jacobs worked as a senior consultant for a strategy consulting firm.

Noteworthy Representations

Prevailing in bet-the-company intellectual property litigation, by winning summary judgment on most counts and settling the remaining claims with money provided by the insurance company. Our client was particularly pleased that Plaintiff spent millions more in attorneys’ fees prosecuting the case than our client's insurance carrier paid for its defense. Details here.

Successfully defending Marriott International, Inc. in more than a hundred civil actions across the country against claims that Marriott was liable for the actions or inactions of its franchisees.

Defending a publicly-traded technology company in a California lawsuit filed by its competitor claiming intentional interference with contractual relations and unfair business practices. Plaintiff voluntarily dismissed our client after we filed our motion for summary judgment.

Together as co-counsel with the Federal Public Defender’s Office, defending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia an alleged ringleader of the hacktivist movement “Anonymous" against a felony charge that he orchestrated numerous cyber-attacks, causing millions of dollars of damage to government agencies and major corporations. After extensive motions practice, the government offered a plea shortly before trial resulting in only a misdemeanor with no jail time.

Serving as lead defense counsel in a Virginia civil trial involving alleged theft of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, intentional interference with contracts, and copying and deleting data in violation of the Virginia Computer Crimes Act. After four days of trial, the court entered judgment for the defense on all counts for a complete defense victory.