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
- Ranked by Chambers USA as a leading Telecom, Broadcast, & Satellite Regulatory practice (2004-2011).
- Ranked by Chambers USA as a leading Telecom, Broadcast, & Satellite Finance practice (2011).
- Ranked by Chambers USA as a leading Media and Entertainment practice (2007-2011).
- Eight attorneys recognized for Telecom, Broadcast, & Satellite and Media & Entertainment in Chambers USA (2011).
- One attorney recognized for First Amendment Litigation in Chambers USA (2011).
- Recognized by Chambers Asia in their ranking of foreign law firms active in the China Technology, Media & Telecom sector (2010-2012).
- Recognized by Legal 500 US as having a leading practice in Technology, Media & Telecoms, Telecoms and Broadcast (Regulatory), and Telecoms and Broadcast (Transactional) (2011).
- Recognized by Legal 500 UK in IT & Telecoms and Media and Entertainment (2012).
- Ranked by Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Beijing - Technology, Media & Telecoms - Foreign Firms (2009-2011).
- U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers, Communications Law and Technology Law: National and Washington, DC, first tier ranking (2011)
- Sports, Media and Entertainment Team of the Year (Intellectual Property Magazine Awards, 2010)
- Managing Intellectual Property Global Awards - Shortlisted in the pan-European category "New Media/Internet" (2010).
- Recognized by Practical Law Company in EU Telecoms, Media & Technology (2011).
- Ranked by Practical Law Company as a leading Telecommunications practice (2009).
- Three attorneys recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Communications Law (2011).
- One attorney recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Administrative/Regulatory Law (2011).
- Three attorneys recognized in The International Who's Who of Regulatory Communications Lawyers (2012).
- One attorney recognized in The International Who's Who of Internet & e-Commerce Lawyers for Internet & e-Commerce (2011).
- One attorney recognized in The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers for Regulatory Communications (2011).
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