Areas of Practice
Telecommunications; Cable; Administrative Law; Rate Regulation

Representative Experience
Strategic business planning for market entry, contract formation and negotiation, public and private capital opportunities, regulatory compliance, legislative interaction and civil and administrative litigation

Extensive experience before state utility commissions, the FCC, and various courts

Civil and administrative litigation, rate regulation, state entry requirements, state and federal tariffing, interconnection, federal preemption, Internet and information services, international authorization, RF equipment authorization, and unlicensed wireless opportunities

Represents cable system operators at the local level on franchising and municipal overbuild matters

Authored two of the first - and successful - Section 253 preemption petitions before the FCC after passage of the 1996 Telecom Act

Obtained Federal Election Commission authority for cable operators to provide free air-time to candidates, and was the driver behind new state laws against unfettered local government entry into private communications ventures

Advises coverage analysts on developing regulatory matters

Counsels clients on acquisitions, sales, and mergers of regulated companies

Successfully negotiated dozens of interconnection agreements with incumbent local exchange carriers on behalf of new entrants, and has arbitrated several other agreements

Secured several federal and state approvals for transfers of control for telephone companies, undersea cables and international telecom providers

Successfully litigated against incumbent telephone companies before state agencies and federal courts

Represents numerous companies on public and venture capital issues, in addition to founding an investment company and co-founding a professional sports league himself

Routinely interacts with Congress on behalf of clients, providing advice on pending legislation and soliciting Congressional support for individual businesses

Regularly appears before state legislatures, often working with legislators and committees to draft new laws protecting communications interests

Prior Experience
Cole, Raywid & Braverman LLP, Associate,
1994-1998; Partner, 1998-2006

Assistant People’s Counsel, District of Columbia, 1991-1994

Counsel, Maine Office of Public Advocate,
1988-1991

Staff Assistant, U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell, 1984-1985

Representative Clients
Represents telecom companies, enhanced service providers, eCommerce companies, international service providers, cable television operators and programmers, broadcast companies, equipment manufacturers, wireless entities and institutional investors; clients include companies located in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, Japan, China, Russia, and other countries doing business in the United States

Memberships and Activities
District of Columbia Bar

Maine Bar

Massachusetts Bar

10th Circuit; U.S. District Court, Oregon

K.E.E.N. (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)

Washington County [Maine] Children’s Outreach Program

Juvenile Diabetes Foundation

Hoops Sagrado (D.C.-Guatemala Youth Exchange Program)

Education
J.D., Catholic University of America, 1985

• Certificate, Institute for Communications Law Studies

• Honors Program