Covington’s communications and media legislative practice combines our broad industry knowledge with our experience and know-how of Capitol Hill to give our clients the best possible representation before Congress. Our clients include broadcasters, sports leagues, Internet content companies, business coalitions, broadcaster trade associations, and telecommunications providers. Covington recognizes the important role that Congress has, in writing legislation, in conducting oversight, and in shaping decisions at the FCC. We provide our expertise to key Hill staff and become a resource on tackling complex technical issues. We also work with clients in testifying before Congress and analyzing and preparing changes to pending legislation. Many Covington lawyers have either come from Capitol Hill or have left to work for Congress, and so that provides us with valuable insight into the legislative process.
Representative Matters
- Net Neutrality. Covington has represented the coalition of Internet-based content companies (eBay, Google, IAC, Microsoft, and Yahoo!) advocating for Congress to adopt rules ensuring broadband network operators do not discriminate. This legislative work builds on our work for these companies before the FCC.
- Broadcasters. We represent broadcasters on a range of legislative issues, including media ownership and the digital television transition. When the FCC proposed to increase the number of stations a network could own, Covington led the effort to urge Congress to adopt a special provision reversing the FCC. On behalf of broadcasters, we have been deeply involved in drafting every provision affecting the digital television transition over the past decade. Our long involvement in these issues before the Commission enable us to contribute effectively and efficiently to the debate before Congress.
- Fax Business Coalition. We represented a coalition of 600 companies and trade associations advocating Congress to adopt a law enabling them to use faxes to contact their customers. The law was necessary to reverse an FCC decision. After a two-year effort, President Bush signed the Junk Fax Prevention Act. This legislative work built on our work on this issue before the FCC.
- NFL. We have worked for many years with the NFL on a range of important communications and media issues, including debates on Sunday Ticket, importation of distant signals, and Internet gambling.
Accolades
- Chambers USA, leading Communications practice (2004, 2005, 2006).
- Chambers USA, leading Communications Finance practice (2006).
- Chambers USA, leading Media and Entertainment practice (2006).
- Practical Law Company, leading Communications practice (2005 & 2006).
- Chambers and PLC, nine attorneys ranked as leading Communications and Media lawyers (2006).
- International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, two attorneys recognized for Regulatory Communications (2005-2006).
- Best Lawyers in America, Covington partners are listed for First Amendment and Media law (2006).
- Our partners have significant experience outside of the practice ─ for example, on Capitol Hill, where they were deeply involved in the development of telecommunications legislation, and in the executive suites of major and highly visible media companies.
- Our partners have over the years held leadership positions in major associations in the media field ─ including the Federal Communications Bar Association, the International Radio and Television Society Foundation, the Media Institute and the Media Law Resource Center.
- A Covington partner has recently served as president of the Defense Council Section of the Media Law Resource Center, the national organization of media defense attorneys, and as president of the First Amendment Advisory Council of the Media Institute.
- A Covington partner received the Sprague Award and the President’s Medal from the National Press Photographers Association for service to the First Amendment.
|
|