Jackson Walker announces Dallas partner Justin Shipley’s appointment as the 2025-2026 Chair of the Board of Directors of the Dallas Zoo.

Founded in 1888, the Dallas Zoo is a city-owned, privately managed zoo with more than 350 employees and 750 volunteers. Spanning 106 acres, it is the oldest and largest zoo in Texas and provides a home for more than 2,000 animals representing over 400 species.

Justin, a Finance & Banking partner in the Dallas office, previously served as the Vice Chair for two years and as the General Counsel for four years. As its former General Counsel, Justin helped the Dallas Zoo navigate challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic. During his term as Vice Chair, he helped lead the Zoo during one of its most difficult times after its longtime and much beloved CEO unexpectedly passed away. Beyond his prior roles as Vice Chair and General Counsel, Justin also chaired the Capital Projects Committee and was a member of its Finance and Capital Campaign committees.

His term as Chair will encompass an exciting and busy time for the Dallas Zoo, as the Zoo embarks on a multi-year, multi-phase $100+ million redevelopment that will breathe new life into the Zoo and Southern Dallas, while still supporting the Zoo’s conservation efforts across the globe.

In his practice at Jackson Walker, Justin advises financial institutions and borrowers on a wide range of complex commercial finance and real estate transactions. He has broad experience representing lenders in connection with syndicated credit facilities, construction loans, multi-state real property portfolio loans, developments involving Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), and private equity financing. He also serves private equity and other clients as their outside general counsel. Since 2022, Justin has been recognized among The Best Lawyers in America for Banking and Finance Law.