Experience
Zachary was drawn to the reputation of the firm and caliber of attorneys at Johnson Pope straight out of law school. Much of Zachary’s practice is devoted to intellectual property protection and enforcement and commercial litigation.
Distinctions & Memberships
- Florida Bar Board Certified Intellectual Property Attorney
- The Best Lawyers in America® since 2021
- Admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States – 2017
- Admitted to The Florida Bar – 2001
- Admitted to The United States District Court; Middle, Northern and Southern Districts
- Admitted to The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals – 2007
- Member of International Trademark Association (INTA) since 2003
- Former Editor of The Trademark Reporter®
- Super Lawyer Rising Star 2009-2013
- Clearwater Bar Association Member
- Hillsborough County Bar Association Member
- Mid Town Kiwanis President 2010-2012
- Clearwater Rotary Member (2013-Present)
Education
- University of Miami B.S. – 1995; MBA – 1997
- Stetson University College of Law J.D. – 2001
Zachary D. Messa is a Board Certified Intellectual Property attorney. He has lived in Pinellas County since 1998 and joined Johnson Pope in the fall of 2001 after graduating from Stetson University College of Law. He is a member of the International Trademark Association and has served as an editor of The Trademark Report, The Law Journal of the International Trademark Association.
Since joining the firm, Zachary has gradually focused his practice to all facets of intellectual property law, such as trademark, copyright, rights of publicity and trade secrets. His services include the drafting and negotiation of licensing , supply and manufacturing agreements, protection of client’s intellectual property through trademark and copyright registration and prosecution, and when necessary the enforcement and protection of such rights through litigation. Zachary has represented home builders, photographers, authors, composers, performance rights associations, song writers, clothing design companies, home designers, franchises, and corporations in the protection and enforcement of their intellectual property rights.
Zachary is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida. He is also a member of Pinellas County Bar Association.
Articles
- Games of Thrones Leak Met with Swift Action
- Best Employment Practices: Conducting Self Audits and Protecting Trade Secrets.
- Civil Seizure Under the DTSA
- Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” Maintains its Celestial Status
- Music Licensing for Restaurants & Bars
- Knowing Is Half the Battle: Creating a Strong Intellectual Property Portfolio
- Smelly Trademarks-Your Nose Knows
- Intellectual Property Rights Aid In Collegiate Athlete Compensation
News
- 55 Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns LLP Lawyers Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2025
- 48 Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns LLP Lawyers Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2024
- 47 Lawyers From Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP Recognized By Best Lawyers® 2021 – Four Recognized As “Lawyer of the Year” In Their Respective Practice Area
By Zachary D. Messa — June 2016
On Thursday, June 23, 2016, a Los Angeles jury determined that the first few seconds of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” was not copied from Spirit’s “Taurus” in violation of the copyright act finding that the estate of Randy Craig Wolfe, a Spirit musician, failed to show that Robert Plant […]
Categories: Blogs, Intellectual Property
By Zachary D. Messa — June 2016
Musical compositions are among the many protected works under the United States Copyright Act. Owners of musical compositions enjoy many exclusive rights, including the exclusive right to publicly perform the compositions. In most circumstances, establishments that offer music (including karaoke) must obtain permission to allow the musical performance. Fortunately, there […]
Categories: Articles, Blogs, Intellectual Property
Practice Areas
