Farrow-Gillespie Heath Wilmoth LLP

 Debra L. Witter has practiced law in Dallas for over thirty-five years, both in law firm settings (large and small) and corporations (ranging from start-ups to a Fortune 500 corporation). Ms. Witter’s primary practice areas include marketing, advertising and promotions law, trademarks, contracts, and Internet law. Her practice is nationwide among medium and large privately held and publicly traded companies, as well as nonprofit organizations.

 

Before joining Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP, Debra was Senior Vice-President, Legal, for Blockbuster Inc.  Prior to that position, she served as general counsel for Star Concessions, Ltd., a company operating retail and restaurant concessions at airports. Ms. Witter began her career at the law firm of Jenkens & Gilchrist, and was also a partner in the law firm of Cohan, Simpson, Cowlishaw, Aranza & Wulff.

 

Ms. Witter is rated AV®-Preeminent™ by the peer-reviewed Martindale-Hubbell service, and was selected as a Best Lawyer in America for 2019-2022.

 

Debra Witter holds a Juris Doctor with high honors from the University of Texas School of Law, where she was a member of the Texas Law Review; Chancellors (highest academic honor); and Order of the Coif.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts with highest honors and special honors in sociology from the University of Texas at Austin, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

 

Ms. Witter is a member of the American Bar Association; the State Bar of Texas; and the Dallas Bar Association.  She is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.

 

Debra is an active contributor and volunteer in the Dallas community, particularly in the Oak Cliff area where she resides with her husband, healthcare attorney Scott Chase. She and Scott have both appeared as contestants on the television show Jeopardy.

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Practice Areas

• Advertising and Sweepstakes Law

• Trademarks

• Business Transactions

• Internet Law

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Education

J.D., with high honors, The University of Texas School of Law

• Texas Law Review

• Chancellors

• Order of the Coif

B.A., with highest honors, The University of Texas

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Publications & Presentations

"Effective Digital Advertising Disclosures" in the Dallas Bar Association's Headnotes periodical, December 2013.

 

Professional and Community Affiliations

State Bar of Texas

Dallas Bar Association

Dallas Opera Board of Directors

Previous Experience

Blockbuster Inc. (SVP-Legal)

Star Concessions (General Counsel)

Cohan, Simpson, Cowlishaw, Aranza & Wulff

Jenkens & Gilchrist