Jonathan Tam
Biography
Jonathan Tam specializes in counseling online entertainment, video game and media companies on global privacy, cybersecurity, children's and teens' protection, advertising, IP, e-commerce, content moderation, online accessibility, AI and anti-gambling regulations.
Jonathan is a licensed attorney in the U.S. and Canada. He regularly writes about information technology and privacy, and is the Chair of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco. He has completed secondments at a global payment services provider based in London, England and a world-leading tech company based in Silicon Valley. He joined Baker McKenzie as a summer associate in 2012 and has also worked in the Firm's Toronto office.
Practice Focus
In addition to media, entertainment and games companies, Jonathan advises companies in many different industries on legal considerations associated with information technology, data and media. He regularly counsels clients on compliance with data regulations around the world, including GDPR, CCPA, COPPA, HIPAA, GLBA, CASL and PIPEDA, and assists clients with data incident responses and crisis management.
He also routinely advises companies on advertising regulations, including those that apply to promotions, contests and sweepstakes, digital advertising, loyalty programs, gift cards, influencer rules, and industry-specific laws. He helps clients understand the parameters of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and other safe harbors, and advises platform providers on how to administer notice-and-takedown policies.
He has represented leading tech companies in negotiating high-stakes commercial agreements, and coordinated tech-related due diligence in connection with multi-billion dollar corporate transactions. He is well versed in the legal considerations that apply to many of the world's cutting-edge technologies, including AI-driven solutions, wearables, robotics, connected cars, the AdTech ecosystem, digital assets, VR/AR, generative AI tools and IoT devices.
Representative Legal Matters
- Counseled online entertainment, video game and media companies on privacy, cybersecurity, AI and regulatory considerations unique to their consumer-facing and data-intensive offerings.
- Represented numerous clients in negotiations of services, licensing, distribution, data processing and other commercial agreements, including multimedia and video game licensing deals.
- Developed privacy compliance and incident preparedness programs for numerous clients, from mid-sized local enterprises to multinational conglomerates spanning the globe.
- Developed privacy statements, terms of service, cookies notices, returns policies and similar documents for numerous B2B and B2C online services providers.
- Advised numerous clients on requirements relating to global sweepstakes, giveaways, promotional campaigns, loyalty programs, gift cards, automatically renewing contracts, and advertising content.
- Coordinated legal responses to data security incidents and ransomware attacks.
- Assisted numerous companies on global IP and IT due diligence in connection with the acquisition of companies and assets.
- Advised numerous tech companies on platform and intermediary liability issues associated with Web3 and other online offerings.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Chair of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco
- Privacy Law Section of the California Lawyers Association
- Video Game Bar Association
- International Association of Privacy Professionals (CIPP/US and CIPP/C)
- Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area
Admissions
- California (2017)
- Ontario (2014)
Education
- University of Toronto (JD, Hons) (2013)
- Harvard University (BA, magna cum laude) (2010)
Languages
- English
Previous Offices
- Toronto