Media, Entertainment, & Sports
Jackson Walker’s media, entertainment & sports group provides our clients with counsel on the full range of issues related to intellectual property, litigation, labor and employment, and transactions.
Our nationally acclaimed media team counsels clients on a wide variety of matters transactional, employment, entertainment, intellectual property, and advertising matters in addition to extensive experience in the representation of entities and individuals in media and communications related litigation including:
- pre-publication concerns
- royalty, rights ownership and idea submission disputes,
- copyright and trademark infringement
- cybersquatting
- Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) domain name disputes
- right of privacy violations
- defamation claims, and more.
Nationwide, we handle routine, complex, and novel matters involving the varied facets of the entertainment industry, including industry-specific agreements on behalf of content creators and distributors, rights clearance issues, content licensing and sales transactions, marketing deals, merchandising deals, and copyright, trademark, and right of publicity matters. We also routinely serve as go-to local counsel for out-of-state law firms that have litigation pending in Texas courts.
Jackson Walker’s sports law attorneys have played an important role in shaping the industry. We routinely counsel sports clients on a wide variety of legal matters including NIL disputes, contracts, endorsements, sponsorships and other player related issues. Members of our award winning team have served on international sports federation boards and held leadership roles within national and international Olympic Committees and governing bodies. This experience offers clients important insight and knowledge into the complex facets of the sports industry.
September 18, 2025
Insights
Texas Expands Mini-TCPA: New Requirements Under Senate Bill 140
By Valery Piedra and Shannon Zmud Teicher
Texas has expanded its “mini-TCPA” telemarketing law with the passage of Senate Bill 140, that may create new compliance obligations for businesses that send text messages or initiate calls to or from Texas. In addition to the general requirements of the federal TCPA, covered entities may now be required to register with the state and post a bond before conducting certain outbound calls or texts.
August 19, 2025
Speaking Engagements
Emilio Nicolas to Present at the 35th Annual Entertainment Law Institute
Jackson Walker partner Emilio B. Nicolas will be a featured speaker at the 35th Annual Entertainment Law Institute (ELI), an event co-sponsored by The University of Texas School of Law and the Entertainment and Sports Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.
July 11, 2025
Attorney News
Stacy Allen Presented Distinguished Service Award at Texas Association of Broadcasters’ Annual Gala
The Texas Association of Broadcasters (TAB) honored Jackson Walker partner Stacy Allen with the Distinguished Service Award during its Annual Awards Gala. This event brought together radio and television professionals from across Texas and the United States to celebrate the outstanding achievements of broadcast leaders and stations.
July 11, 2025
Insights
Federal Courts Find Fair Use in AI Training: Key Takeaways from Kadrey v. Meta and Bartz v. Anthropic
By Arthur Gollwitzer
In recent days, two federal judges in the Northern District of California issued significant decisions covering the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright law. Specifically, in Bartz v. Anthropic PBC and Kadrey v. Meta Platforms, Inc., the courts addressed whether the use of copyrighted works to train generative AI models constitutes fair use under Section 107 of the Copyright Act.
June 30, 2025
Attorney News
‘Managing IP’ Recognizes Jackson Walker’s Patent and Trademark Attorneys in 2025 Edition of “IP Stars”
Managing IP has named Jackson Walker a recommended law firm in Texas for patent prosecution and trade mark in its 2025 edition of “IP Stars.” Additionally, Brit Nelson, Wasif Qureshi, and Nathaniel St. Clair, II were recognized as Patent Stars and Shannon Zmud Teicher as a Trade Mark Star in Texas and the United States overall.
June 5, 2025
Spotlight
Chambers and Partners Releases 2025 USA Guide Featuring 79 Jackson Walker Attorneys and 28 Ranked Departments
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce that Chambers and Partners has selected 79 attorneys and 28 departments for inclusion in the 2025 edition of the Global and USA guides. Attorneys were ranked across 29 departments, with 4 attorneys listed among multiple areas, 9 ranked nationwide in their respective areas, and 12 recognized for the first time.
June 5, 2025
Spotlight
Jackson Walker’s Intellectual Property Practice and Attorneys Ranked in Chambers USA Guide
Jackson Walker is proud to announce the inclusion of its Intellectual Property practice in the 2025 Chambers USA Guide released today. Additionally, IP partners Brian Prewitt, Wasif Qureshi, and Shannon Zmud Teicher are individually recognized by Chambers.
April 1, 2025
Speaking Engagements
Demi Williams Coles Joins Sports and Entertainment Law Fireside Chat Celebrating Women’s History Month
Demi Williams Coles took part in an inspiring all-women fireside chat in celebration of Women’s History Month. Hosted by the SMU Dedman Sports and Entertainment Law Association, the event brought together leading female attorneys in the sports industry to share their stories, career advice, and insights.
March 10, 2025
Attorney News
Seven Jackson Walker Attorneys Named to Lawdragon’s List of 500 Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyers
Jackson Walker partners Chip Babcock, Marc Fuller, Bob Latham, Emilio Nicolas, Nate St. Clair, Paul Watler, and Shannon Zmud Teicher have been selected to “The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyers” list. The professionals chosen for this prestigious list have demonstrated exceptional skill and leadership in their respective fields, reinforcing Jackson Walker’s reputation as a powerhouse in media, entertainment, and sports law.