Shari Y. Mao
Practice Areas
Experience
- Antitrust
- Biotech, MedTech, & Life Sciences
- Family Office
- Family-Owned Business
- Government Contracts & Procurement
- Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures
- Technology Licensing & Transactions
Biography
Shari Mao is an attorney in Jackson Walker’s San Antonio office representing entrepreneurs, privately-held clients, and governmental agencies in a variety of corporate matters.
Shari advises her private sector clients throughout the corporate life-cycle ranging from entity formation and corporate governance to financing and divestitures. Leveraging her demonstrated experience as a former business owner, Shari represents clients in negotiating corporate terms and conditions, technology and operations contracts, financing agreements and purchase and sale contracts with a comprehensive understanding of each client’s individualized corporate needs and a focus on achieving their business goals. Additionally, Shari has experience in assisting government agencies with information technology outsourcing procurement projects.
As one of the only Mandarin speaking attorneys in the city of San Antonio, Shari regularly serves as counsel in mergers and acquisitions, business formation and corporate structuring, restructuring, financing options and succession planning and consult her clients on inbound cross-border transactions, specifically from Asia. Shari takes pride in offering her clients actionable advice in starting a business, growing the business through funding and acquisitions, and divesting the business in whole or in part.
As part of her practice, she advises family offices in planning and restructuring entities for asset protection, tax planning, and investment and estate planning strategies.
Prior to law school, Shari was vice president of a flooring company, where she managed the North American operations and collaborated with factories in China and Taiwan. She was a Risk Manager on the Pulp and Paper Desk at Enron and was retained after the mass termination to unwind and liquidate trades. Additionally, Ms. Mao was an associate at J.P. Morgan & Co., where she managed projects and implemented trade processing solutions in New York, London, and Tokyo.
During law school, Shari interned for Chief Judge Fred Biery of the United States District for the Western District of Texas, where she researched and wrote memos for the court. She also worked as a student attorney at St. Mary’s Center for Legal and Social Justice.
Additional Languages
Mandarin, Taiwanese
Education
B.A., magna cum laude, Duke University
J.D., magna cum laude, St. Mary’s University School of Law
- St. Mary’s Law Journal
- Associate Editor
- Staff Writer
Bar Admissions
Texas
- Represented a public mobile advertising solutions provider in its transformative acquisitions of three international mobile advertising companies valued in excess of $1 billion.
- Represented a leading modular building and portable storage provider in the Western U.S. in the sale of substantially all assets for a purchase price of $260 million.
- Represented a leading construction equipment rental company in its acquisition of a Colleyville-based storage container company, expand its presence to a total of 40 locations.
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), Corporate Law, 2025-2026
- Texas Rising Star – Business/Corporate Law, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2021-2022
- “Best S.A. Lawyers” List, San Antonio Scene, 2017-2024
- Business & Corporate
- Closely Held Business
- “San Antonio’s Outstanding Women in Law,” San Antonio Scene, 2021
- “Rising Star Lawyers” List, Business & Corporate, San Antonio Scene, 2018-2020
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation, 2020
- Belva Lockwood Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, Bexar County Women’s Bar Foundation, 2015
- Speaker, “Surviving an Unpredictable Economy: Legal Considerations You Can’t Afford to Ignore,” 2022 Asian Chamber Business Conference & Expo (August 2022)
- Guest, “Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month,” Jackson Walker Fast Takes Podcast (May 2022)
- Panelist, St. Mary’s School of Law Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Roundtable (February 2021)
- Speaker, “The ABC’s of HSR,” Jackson Walker Internal HSR Compliance CLE (October 2020)
- Speaker, “The Anatomy of an International Contract,” Free Trade Alliance San Antonio Lunch & Learn (November 2014)
- Director, St. Mary’s Forum on Entrepreneurship Board
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Leadership San Antonio (LSA), Participant, 2019
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Pathfinder Program, 2017
- Bexar County Women’s Bar Association and Foundation
- Treasurer, 2017
- Vice President, 2018
- Director, 2013-2018
- San Antonio Botanical Garden, Board of Directors, 2020
- Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, Board of Directors, Chair of the Board, 2018-2019
- Past Chair of Corporate Governance
FTC Announces Hart-Scott-Rodino Thresholds for 2026
By Ann Leafstedt and Shari Mao
On January 20, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the adjusted jurisdictional and filing fee thresholds under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (HSR Act). The HSR Act requires persons considering certain transactions which exceed the applicable size thresholds to file a premerger notice with the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), pay the required filing fee, and observe a designated waiting period before consummating the transaction.
Insights • February 18, 2026
‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Features 350 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2026 Edition, Including 10 “Lawyers of the Year” and 106 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America, a widely regarded guide to legal excellence, has recognized 350 Jackson Walker attorneys across 87 specialty practice areas in its 2026 edition, including 10 Lawyers of the Year and 106 Ones to Watch.
Attorney News • August 21, 2025
‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Features 306 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2025 Edition, Including 9 “Lawyers of the Year” and 75 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 306 Jackson Walker attorneys across 81 specialty practice areas in its 2025 edition, including 9 Lawyers of the Year and 75 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (75 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (55 attorneys) and the addition of 27 attorneys as Best Lawyers.
Attorney News • August 15, 2024
Shari Mao, Maggie Lu, and Devanshi Somaya Selected to Participate in Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Programs
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the selection of Shari Y. Mao, Maggie Lu, and Devanshi Somaya to participate in training programs offered by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD).
Attorney News • February 15, 2024
‘Scene in S.A.’ Recognizes Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2023 “Best S.A. Lawyers” List
Jackson Walker congratulates the 44 practicing attorneys in the San Antonio office who were included in Scene in S.A.’s 2023 “Best S.A. Lawyers” list. In its 19th year, the “Best S.A. Lawyers” list presents attorneys across 80 distinct practice areas who were nominated by fellow licensed, practicing attorneys of Bexar County.
Attorney News • September 18, 2023
Sang Shin, Shari Mao, and Jeremy Sheng to Present at 2022 Asian Chamber Business Conference & Expo
Jackson Walkers partners Sang Shin, Shari Mao, and Jeremy Sheng will present “Surviving an Unpredictable Economy: Legal Considerations You Can’t Afford to Ignore” at the 2022 Asian Chamber Business Conference & Expo on Friday, August 26, 2022.
Speaking Engagements • August 22, 2022
Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month
At Jackson Walker, we are extremely proud of our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) attorneys and allied professionals who have brought leadership and helped shape the Firm into what it is today. As May marks AAPI Heritage Month, Shari Mao and Sang Shin shared how their upbringings shaped their careers.
Podcasts • May 24, 2022
Jackson Walker Congratulates Its 2022 Texas Rising Stars
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the selection of 51 attorneys to Thomson Reuters’ 2022 “Super Lawyers – Rising Stars” list, which recognizes only 2.5% of Texas attorneys who either are 40 years of age or younger or have been in practice for 10 years or less.
Attorney News • March 22, 2022
‘Scene in S.A.’ Recognizes 38 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2021 “Best S.A. Lawyers” List
In its 17th year, the “Best S.A. Lawyers” list presents attorneys across 80 distinct practice areas who were nominated by fellow licensed, practicing attorneys of Bexar County. The survey takes the voters for each attorney into account, including where the voter works, their practice area, and how many years they have practiced.
Attorney News • July 14, 2021
‘Scene in S.A.’ Recognizes 14 Jackson Walker Attorneys Among Inaugural List of “San Antonio’s Outstanding Women in Law”
Jackson Walker proudly congratulates the 14 women attorneys who have been named to Scene in S.A.’s inaugural survey of “San Antonio’s Outstanding Women in Law.”
Attorney News • April 19, 2021
Practice Experience
- Represented a public mobile advertising solutions provider in its transformative acquisitions of three international mobile advertising companies valued in excess of $1 billion.
- Represented a leading modular building and portable storage provider in the Western U.S. in the sale of substantially all assets for a purchase price of $260 million.
- Represented a leading construction equipment rental company in its acquisition of a Colleyville-based storage container company, expand its presence to a total of 40 locations.
Recognition & Accolades
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), Corporate Law, 2025-2026
- Texas Rising Star – Business/Corporate Law, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2021-2022
- “Best S.A. Lawyers” List, San Antonio Scene, 2017-2024
- Business & Corporate
- Closely Held Business
- “San Antonio’s Outstanding Women in Law,” San Antonio Scene, 2021
- “Rising Star Lawyers” List, Business & Corporate, San Antonio Scene, 2018-2020
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation, 2020
- Belva Lockwood Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, Bexar County Women’s Bar Foundation, 2015
Publications & Speeches
- Speaker, “Surviving an Unpredictable Economy: Legal Considerations You Can’t Afford to Ignore,” 2022 Asian Chamber Business Conference & Expo (August 2022)
- Guest, “Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month,” Jackson Walker Fast Takes Podcast (May 2022)
- Panelist, St. Mary’s School of Law Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Roundtable (February 2021)
- Speaker, “The ABC’s of HSR,” Jackson Walker Internal HSR Compliance CLE (October 2020)
- Speaker, “The Anatomy of an International Contract,” Free Trade Alliance San Antonio Lunch & Learn (November 2014)
Community Involvement
- Director, St. Mary’s Forum on Entrepreneurship Board
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Leadership San Antonio (LSA), Participant, 2019
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Pathfinder Program, 2017
- Bexar County Women’s Bar Association and Foundation
- Treasurer, 2017
- Vice President, 2018
- Director, 2013-2018
- San Antonio Botanical Garden, Board of Directors, 2020
- Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, Board of Directors, Chair of the Board, 2018-2019
- Past Chair of Corporate Governance