Covington has been involved in matters in Europe, Asia, and Latin America touching on all aspects of the telecommunications and media industry. We have represented International investors, buyers, sellers, operators, customers, technology providers, content providers and distributors, and governments in the wireless telecommunications, telephone, satellite, cable and media industries.
Our corporate practice has been involved in financings, investments, strategic arrangements and mergers and acquisitions, including:
- Representing a global content provider in its global partnership with an international telecommunications provider to develop and operate a 3G mobile music service.
- Representing a client in financing a national wireless telecommunications system in India.
- Representing a Mexico-based multi-system cable operator in a joint venture with a Mexico-based local and long-distance telecom company.
On regulatory and policy matters, our lawyers have advised on a number of diverse issues in the telecommunications and media industry, including:
- Advising governments on the privatization of telecom service providers, crafting regulations for the introductions of regulatory structures to foster competition in the telecommunications industry; drafting regulations governing telecom activities; and establishing a licensing and regulatory structure for the introduction of next-generation wireless telecommunications service.
- Researching and crafting a comprehensive report on the policy options for creation of independent regulatory authorities in the EU.
- Assessing proposed communications laws in countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
- Representing a client opposed to certain aspects of proposed European Digital Video Broadcasting Standards, a matter on which we integrated our expertise in IP law, competition law and substantive and procedural aspects of the EU standardization process.
- Assisting a satellite provider in establishing a European services satellite trade association. Subsequent representation of the association enabled us to combine our knowledge of law relating to EU trade associations with our experience in EU legislative advocacy in the telecom industry.
- Representing a satellite provider in seeking broader access to markets in China, Mexico and elsewhere, which allowed us to combine our trade and communications expertise.
Our competition lawyers also have extensive experience in the application of competition law to the communications industry, such as:
- Representing a client in connection with obtaining UK merger clearance for the sale of a UK cable business.
- Representing a client in the EU opposing the merger of two, US-based global telecom service providers -- a matter that involved complex issues under EU competition law.
Our international work in the media and content areas ranges from participating in the creation of new media entities and distribution platforms, to advising clients on the expansion and protection of their rights, including:
- Advising on program rights issues.
- Drafting of new defamation laws for Bosnia.
- Reviewing on behalf of US interests defamation and free expression laws proposed for Iraq by a coalition of international experts.
- Advising on news gathering issues in relation to an undercover documentary being filmed in Europe and Africa.
- Advising on copyright matters relating to rights to an extensive photographic archive and on wrongful publication of photographs in Europe.
- Developing a litigation strategy for several members of an industry federation to challenge an advertising ban imposed by an EU directive for violations of the free speech provisions of Article 10 of the European Human Rights Convention.
Accolades
- Chambers USA: leading Telecom, Broadcast, & Satellite practice (2004-2013).
- Chambers USA: leading Media and Entertainment practice (2007-2013).
- Chambers USA: Telecom, Broadcast, & Satellite and Media & Entertainment (2012-2013).
- seven attorneys recognized
- Chambers USA: First Amendment Litigation (2011-2013)
- Chambers Europe: Leading TMT Information Technology and TMT Telecommunications (Belgium) practice (2013)
- Chambers Asia: leading China Technology, Media & Telecom sector (2010-2013).
- Legal 500 US: Media, Technology & Telecoms (2012-2013)
- Technology - Data Protection & Privacy
- Marketing & Advertising
- Technology - Outsourcing
- Technology - Transactions
- Telecoms & Broadcast - Regulatory & Transactional
- Nineteen attorneys recognized in above categories
- Legal 500 UK (2011-2012)
- Media and Entertainment
- IT & Telecoms
- Legal 500 EMEA: EU Regulatory, Information Technology (2011-2012)
- Legal 500 Asia Pacific: Beijing - Technology, Media & Telecoms - Foreign Firms (2009-2012)
- Best Lawyers in America: Communications Law (2013)
- Three attorneys recognized
- Best Lawyers in America: Administrative/Regulatory Law (2012-2013)
- Best Lawyers in America: Technology (2012-2013)
- Practical Law Company: Telecoms & Media - EU, US, and China (2012)
- Variety named Jason Goldberg, a member of our Asia media practice, as one of “50 Game-Changing Attorneys” in the world for his representation of major U.S. studios in landmark film production and financing deals in China (2012).
- U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers, Communications Law and Technology Law: National and Washington, DC, first tier ranking (2011)
- Intellectual Property Magazine Awards (2010)
- Sports, Media and Entertainment Team of the Year
- Managing Intellectual Property Global Awards (2010)
- Shortlisted in the pan-European category "New Media/Internet"
- The International Who's Who of Regulatory Communications Lawyers (2012)
- Four attorneys recognized
- The International Who's Who of Internet & e-Commerce Lawyers for Internet & e-Commerce (2011-2012)
- The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers for Regulatory Communications (2012)
- Three attorneys recognized
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