The introduction of competition into the telecommunications industry, both through the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the impacts of continuously evolving technology, has brought many new regulatory, commercial and financial issues and relationships to the industry. As changes in the industry have continued, Schiff Hardin has provided representation to telecommunications carriers on both traditional and emerging regulatory, commercial and financial issues, and has also maintained a strong litigation practice representing telecommunications carriers.
Our services to telecommunications carriers include:
- Negotiation and arbitration of interconnection agreements and other agreements unique to these businesses
- Representation in regulatory proceedings before the Illinois Commerce Commission
- Administrative appeals in state and federal courts
- Class action defense
- Intellectual property litigation
- Antitrust litigation
- Land Use disputes
- Zoning regulations
- Corporate and securities law counseling, including 1934 Act, governance and Sarbanes-Oxley matters
- Securities transactions, loan transactions and other financings
- Mergers, acquisitions and asset transaction
- Labor and employment matters, including union negotiations, grievance and arbitrations
- Employee benefits and executive compensation
Our clients include:
- Inter-exchange carriers
- Incumbent and competitive local exchange carriers
- Wireless carriers
- Pay phone and operator service providers
- Parent/holding companies of operating telecommunications carriers