Biography
Shannon Zmud Teicher is an advocate and counselor with deep experience in intellectual property, media and technology. Her practice consists of advising and—when necessary—litigating for clients in the areas of trademark, copyright, social media, advertising, marketing, and entertainment. Shannon often jokes that her start as a traditional media attorney was great luck because now everyone is a publisher.
But whether it’s providing counsel on the development and launch of a new mobile app or defending free speech rights in the courtroom, Shannon’s approach is simple: deliver excellent legal service tailored to the goals of her client.
Shannon helps all sorts of businesses protect, license, and distribute their intellectual property. Her representative clients include:
- Web and app developers
- E-commerce sites and other online services
- Traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines)
- Fashion and jewelry designers
- Influencers and celebrities
- Affiliate and ad display networks
- Banking and finance services
- Real estate developers
Education
B.J., summa cum laude, University of Missouri
J.D., with honors, University of Texas School of Law
- Co-Editor-in-Chief, Texas Journal on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Bar Admissions
Texas
Court Admissions
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States District Court for the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
Shannon assists clients with all sorts of intellectual property matters both as counselor and in court:
- Trademark search, registration, protection, licensing, cease and desist, and infringement matters
- Copyright registration, protection, licensing, cease and desist, and infringement matters
- Trade secret policies, protection and misappropriation matters
- Domain name acquisition, protection, cease and desist, and Uniform Domain Name Dispute (UDRP) matters
- Agreements to govern web and app activities, including Terms of Service (TOS), End User License Agreements (EULA), Privacy Policies, Security Policies, Subscription / Auto-renewal Agreements, and Distribution Agreements
- Agreements to govern independent contractor, employee and developer relationships, including work made for hire, non-disclosure, security, social media and confidentiality agreements
- Advice on compliance issues such as privacy, ADA accessibility and WCAG 2.1
Shannon provides advice on marketing campaigns and promotions on the web and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and others. This includes guidance on a variety of topics, including:
- Social media and endorsements, including disclosures
- Social media and regulatory compliance, including Federal Trade Commission (FTC), National Advertising Division (NAD) and other regulatory and self-regulatory organizations
- User-generated content, including Communications Decency Act (CDA) implications
- Fair use and copyright issues for images, videos and music, including Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) registration and take-downs
- Official Rules and advice on sweepstakes, contests and prize giveaways
- Mobile, text and telemarketing issues, including Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) compliance
- Privacy issues, including Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) compliance
In the First Amendment media context, Shannon routinely assists clients:
- Defend defamation, libel, privacy and related claims
- Defend subpoenas in both criminal and civil courts
- Pursuing public records and enforcing open meeting laws
- Securing access to courtrooms
- The Dallas Morning News Inc. and Steve Blow v. John Tatum and Mary Sue Tatum, 554 S.W.3d 614 (Tex. 2018) – Defended The Dallas Morning News against a defamation lawsuit, securing a dismissal from the Texas Supreme Court.
- TerraCORE Panels, LLC v. Stone Panels, LLC (N.D. Tex. 2016) – Represented Stone Panels in case involving claims of unfair competition and defamation. Aggressive defense strategy included cross-claims for copyright infringement. Case was favorably settled during discovery phase and included an agreed permanent injunction against TerraCORE enjoining use of Stone Panels’ copyrighted designs.
- Viewpoint Bank, N.A. v. PointBank (E.D. Tex. 2015) Represented Viewpoint Bank in a declaratory judgment action seeking a declaration of no trademark infringement (settled).
- Mike Leach v. Spaeth Communications, Inc. et. al., 455 S.W.3d 171 (Tex. App.—Amarillo 2014, pet. denied) – Represented Spaeth Communications in an action filed by the former Texas Tech head football Coach Mike Leach. Leach was fired by the university after an investigation into allegations he mistreated a student athlete who had suffered a concussion. The events surrounding Leach’s dismissal received substantial media attention and he purportedly sued Spaeth Communications for its work on behalf of the student’s family. The Lubbock trial court granted summary judgment, dismissing Leach’s claims for defamation, tortious interference and conspiracy. The judgment was affirmed on appeal.
- FPX, LLC v. Google Inc. et al., 276 F.R.D. 543 (E.D. Tex. 2011) — Represented Google Inc., AOL LLC, YouTube LLC, Turner Broadcasting, MySpace, and Ask.com in two putative trademark class action lawsuits asserting that Google’s AdWords program violated federal trademark law in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. The Court denied the Plaintiffs’ motions to certify the classes.
- Classic Ink, Inc. v. American Needle, 2010 WL 4307632 (Jury Trial, N.D. Tex. 2010)— Defended American Needle in a case involving trademark infringement with regard to defunct sports team logos in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. Jury returned a mixed verdict finding trademark infringement, but not willfully and awarded zero damages.
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), Commercial Litigation, 2024
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, 2023-2024
- “Rising Star,” Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2007, 2009-2011, 2013-2019
Publications
- “Avoiding Fashion Faux Pas: Factors to Consider When Drafting Agreements for Fashion Companies” (January 2022)
- “Cancel Culture and the Endless Stream of Subscriptions: A Discussion of Automatic Renewal Laws” (October 2021)
- “Two New Supreme Court Decisions Alter the Landscape for Litigating Copyright Infringement Cases” (March 2019)
- “First Amendment Watchdogs Warily Regard Passage of FOSTA” (April 2018)
- “Last Call: Your Q4 DMCA Agent Designation Reminder” (October 2017)
- “The Trump Administration Retweets and Retreats” (April 2017)
- “First Amendment Implications of Nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch for Supreme Court” (February 2017)
Speaking Engagements
- “First Amendment and Free Speech: A Primer on the Cases We Should Know,” Dallas Bar Association’s Bench Bar Conference (April 2023)
- “Crafting the Key to the Courthouse: Evolving Standards and Strategies for Registering and Litigating Ownership of Copyright,” 2020 CSUSA Midwinter Meeting (February 2020)
- “FTC Endorsement and Influencer Guidelines and Best Practices,” Law x Style Summit, Dallas Bar Association’s Entertainment, Art & Sports Law Section (November 2019)
- Guest Lecturer, “Copyrights, Trademarks and Other IP: A Practical Guide for Businesses & Entrepreneurs,” Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business (September 2018)
- First Amendment Panel, Jackson Walker (January 2017)
- How Professional Journalists Separate Fake News From Facts, The Dallas Morning News (October 2017)
In the News
- Featured on WFAA-TV: “What Trumps SCOTUS pick means for Texas“
- Quoted in The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: “Texas Supreme Court Declines to Review Former Tech Coach Leach’s Appeal“
- Quoted in Law360: “Breitling Can’t Avoid Atty Fees in Fight with Petroleum News”
- Quoted in D Magazine Front Burner: “Attorney Shannon Zmud Invokes Journalists’ Shield Law For The First Time In Dallas County — And Wins”
- Media Law Resource Center, Pre-Publication/Pre-Broadcast Committee, Past Chair
- American Bar Association – Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS)
- Media, Privacy and Advertising Law Committee, Vice Chair, 2016-2017
- Dallas Bar Association, Media Relations Committee, Past Chair
- Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court, Associate, 2008
- Dallas Women’s Foundation, Advocacy Task Group, 2014-Present

December 4, 2023
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – December 2023
View Jackson Walker’s December 2023 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.

September 14, 2023
Attorney NewsJackson Walker Congratulates 35 Attorneys Named Among the Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America
Jackson Walker announces the selection of 35 attorneys to Lawdragon’s 2024 list of the 500 leading litigators in America.

August 17, 2023
Attorney News‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 287 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2024 Edition, Including 12 “Lawyers of the Year” and 80 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 287 Jackson Walker attorneys across 5 offices and 82 specialty practice areas in its 2024 edition, including 12 Lawyers of the Year and 80 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (66 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (60 attorneys) and the addition of 35 attorneys as Best Lawyers.

May 3, 2023
NewslettersJW Media | VIA ePostcard – May 2023
View the May 2023 edition of the JW Media | VIA ePostcard.


April 19, 2023
Speaking EngagementsShannon Zmud Teicher Speaks on First Amendment Panel at Dallas Bar Association’s Bench Bar Conference
Shannon Zmud Teicher spoke on a panel entitled “First Amendment and Free Speech: A Primer on the Cases We Should Know,” which also featured Judge Brantley Starr, Thomas Leatherbury, Thomas Williams, and Meg Penrose (Texas A&M University School of Law).



November 17, 2022
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – November 2022
View Jackson Walker’s November 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.


October 7, 2022
Attorney NewsJackson Walker Congratulates 36 Attorneys Named Among the Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America
Jackson Walker announces the selection of 36 attorneys to Lawdragon’s inaugural list of the 500 leading litigators in America.



August 1, 2022
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – August 2022
View Jackson Walker’s August 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.


June 3, 2022
Client ResultsJackson Walker Assists Dallas Zoo in Creation of Zoo Poo Compost Product
As part of its commitment to sustainability, the Dallas Zoo in collaboration with Fort Worth-based composting facility Silver Creek Materials has created Zoo Poo, a compost product made with manure from the Zoo’s elephants, giraffes, and other herbivores.



February 7, 2022
NewslettersJW Media | VIA ePostcard – February 2022
View the February 2022 edition of the JW Media | VIA ePostcard.