TLP: Telecommunications Law Professionals PLLC

Founding Member: Carl W. Northrop
Managing Member: Michael Lazarus
Number of members: 5
Number of lawyers: 8
Languages: English

Firm Overview: Telecommunications Law Professionals PLLC (“TLP”) is a boutique law firm that specializes in representing clients in the telecommunications, media, Internet, satellite and other high technology sectors. Formed by accomplished attorneys from top tier firms who have devoted their careers to this practice specialty, TLP prides itself on offering the quality and level of service associated with major international firms. The firm’s clients are both domestic and international and range in size from major publicly-traded international corporations to small entrepreneurial start-ups. The small firm platform enables TLP to offer attractive rates and to fashion creative, alternative fee arrangements that are popular with clients. The diverse team of professionals at TLP can staff any matter in an efficient, cost-effective manner.

Main Areas of Practice:
TLP handles a broad cross-section of communicationsrelated projects including (a) federal regulatory advice and counsel in FCC licensing, auction, complaint and rulemaking proceedings, (b) communications-related litigation at the federal, state and local levels, (c) significant merger and acquisition transactions including international transactions requiring Team Telecom approval, (d) major equipment, infrastructure and inter-carrier contracts, (e) financing transactions, (f) site agreements for carriers, landowners and antenna companies, (g) regulatory compliance issues, programs and consent decrees, and (h) expert witness testimony on communications regulatory matters; and (i) strategic planning. Of particular note, TLP is actively involved in multiple facets of the high priority U.S. effort to close the digital divide by supporting the development of both wired and wireless 5G broadband services in unserved and underserved areas throughout the U.S.

Telecommunications Regulatory:
5 Partners; 9 fee earners based in Washington, DC
■ Representation of GCI Communication Corp., a large publicly-traded communications conglomerate in Alaska, on a broad array of regulatory and corporate issues including merger and acquisition transactions, spectrum acquisitions and auctions, infrastructure, backhaul and inter-carrier contracts, FCC rules compliance (E-911, VoIP, number porting, etc.)
■ Representation of American Tower Corporation in connection with diverse regulatory matters as they relate to tower lighting, colocations, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), regulatory proceedings affecting the tower industry and experimental authorization applications relating to emerging technologies
■ Representation of a large number of radio and television broadcasters in all aspects of their regulatory compliance
■ Representation of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in connection with contracts pertaining to the use of the airport’s public rights of way for telecommunications facilities
Key Clients: GCI Communications Corp., Dallas/ Fort Worth Airport, American Tower, Ramar Communications, Inc., California Broadcasters Association, Missouri Broadcasters Association
Contact: Michael Lazarus
Tel: 202-789-3114 Email: [email protected]

Telecommunications Litigation:
5 Partners; 9 fee earners based in Washington, DC
■ Representation of Pine Telephone Company and Pine Cellular Phones, Inc. in federal district court in connection with a challenge to the award of funds by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service to provide broadband services in unserved and underserved areas in Oklahoma
■ Successful representation of an applicant in challenging on appeal FCC rule changes to the auction rules governing bidding credits for small businesses
■ Successful representation of a wireless reseller in a bet-the-company contract dispute with a nationwide carrier that was subject to arbitration
■ Representation of a regional wireless carrier in a high profile roaming dispute with a nationwide carrier which fostered a complaint proceeding at the FCC and resulted in a long term roaming agreement on terms acceptable to the client
■ Representation of television station multiple owner Northwest Broadcasting, Inc. in the resolution of diverse disputes with multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs)
Key Clients: Pine Telephone, Inc./Pine Cellular Phones, Inc., Americom/Reno Media Group; Council Tree Communications
Contact: Carl W. Northrop
Tel: 202-789-3113 Email: [email protected]

Telecommunications Transactional:
5 Partners; 9 fee earners based in Washington, DC
■ Successful representation of a major facilitybased carrier in a contested merger transaction with an international company that required FCC approval, state approvals, CFIUS approval, and Team Telecom approval
■ Representation of numerous private equity funds in connection with mergers, license and asset acquisitions and financings in the telecom and media sectors
■ Representation of Ramar Communications, Inc. on full power station acquisitions
■ Representation of a multinational social network corporation in the negotiation of undersea cable contracts
■ TLP also acts as the communications regulatory specialist for several multinational law firms that do not have telecommunications departments
Key Clients: GCI Communication Corp., Ramar Communications, Inc., MC Venture Partners, Optivon, Inc.
Contact: Michael Lazarus
Tel: 202-789-3114 Email: [email protected]

Telecommunications Policy:
5 Partners; 9 fee earners based in Washington, DC
■ Successful representation of AST & Science -- a satellite operator building the first space-based cellular broadband network able to provide high quality broadband mobile service to standard, unmodified smartphones - to secure rule changes allowing the company to participate in the FCC’s $5 billion 5G Fund proceeding
■ Successful representation of a major tower company in securing federal policy changes facilitating the use of drones to conduct tower inspections
■ Representation of a major equipment manufacturer in an FCC proceeding pertaining to the spectrum available for wireless microphones
■ Representation of major 12 GHz spectrum licensee Go Long Wireless in connection with the FCC’s rulemaking proceeding considering expanding the permissible use of the 12 GHz band to include mobile, two-way 5G broadband service
Key Clients: AST & Science; Sennheiser Electronic Corporation; Go Long Wireless, C Spire Wireless
Contact: Michael Lazarus
Tel: 202-789-3114 Email: [email protected]

International Work:
TLP has represented a variety of companies in cross-border transactions involving U.S. telecommunications facilities; TLP also represented the holder of a nationwide wireless license in Africa and was responsible for negotiating all of the company’s infrastructure contracts for network equipment as well as all tower and site access agreements.