Covington & Burling LLP | Biographies

Yaron Dori is a partner in the firm’s Washington, DC office, and is the co-chair of the Communications & Media Practice Group. He practices primarily in the area of telecommunications, privacy and consumer protection law, with an emphasis on strategic planning, policy development, commercial transactions, investigations and enforcement, and overall regulatory compliance.

Mr. Dori represents clients before federal and state regulatory agencies and the U.S. Congress in connection with a range of policy issues under the Communications Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and similar federal and state provisions. His unique experience in telecommunications, privacy and consumer protection matters enables him to advise clients on a range of issues in which these disciplines intersect.

With respect to telecommunications matters, Mr. Dori advises clients on a range of business, policy and consumer-facing issues, including net neutrality, broadband deployment, Internet Protocol-enabled services, truth-in-billing, the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) rules, the Cable Privacy Act, exclusive service contracts, cable franchise obligations, local competition, universal service reform and intercarrier compensation.

Mr. Dori also has extensive experience in structuring transactions and securing regulatory approvals at both the federal and state levels for mergers, asset acquisitions and similar transactions involving large and small telecommunications carriers, media companies, and data aggregators.

With respect to privacy and consumer protection matters, Mr. Dori advises clients on federal and state wiretap and electronic storage provisions, including the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA); regulations affecting new technologies such as online behavioral advertising; and the application of federal and state telemarketing, commercial fax, and other consumer protection laws to voice, text and video transmissions sent to wireless devices and alternative distribution platforms. Mr. Dori also has experience advising companies on state attorney general investigations into a range of consumer protection issues.

Representative Matters

Counseled a large telecommunications service provider in connection with its privacy and CPNI practices and a related FCC enforcement investigation.
Represented major software and technology company on telecommunications regulatory issues in connection with its acquisition of an industry-leading peer-to-peer application provider.
Advised the Privacy Ombudsman to the Bankruptcy Court in the liquidation and sale of data assets held by the Borders bookstore.
Counseled agent to steering committee of secured creditors and future owners in the restructuring of FairPoint Communications.
Advised a major private equity firm on privacy and data security matters in connection with its acquisition of a large marketing and lead generator company.
Advised major technology and software company in connection with policy and compliance issues pertaining to net neutrality, accessibility, and mobile handset development.
Represented large health care provider in connection with its receipt of federal Universal Service Fund support.
Advised a major service provider in connection with its application for broadband stimulus funding pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Counseled broadband service and application providers in connection with the development and implementation of behavioral advertising technologies and practices in the US, including matters before the U.S. Congress, the FTC and the courts.
Advised a large, multi-national company in connection with multiple state attorney general investigations into its consumer privacy practices.

More Representative Matters

Honors and Rankings

Law360, Media & Entertainment Group of the Year (2012)
Best Lawyers in America, Communications; Media Law (2013)
Recognized in Chambers USA, Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite - Regulatory (2010-2013)
Recognized in Legal 500 US, Telecom & Broadcast - Regulatory (2013, 2012, 2011, 2010); Telecoms & Broadcast - Transactional (2013, 2012, 2011, 2010); Data Protection & Privacy (2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009); Marketing & Advertising (2013, 2011, 2010)
Federal Communications Bar Association, Recipient of Distinguished Service Award (2003-2004)

Memberships and Affiliations

Federal Communications Bar Association, Past-President (2012-2013); President (2011-2012)
International Association of Privacy Professionals, Education Advisory Board Member (2013-2015)

Publications and Speeches

Mr. Dori was quoted in a DataGuidance: Privacy This Week article titled “USA: FCC holds sellers vicariously liable for third party 'do-not-call' violations” (5/30/13). The article and Mr. Dori’s comments address the recent FCC declaratory ruling released on May 9, 2013 concerning the vicarious liability of sellers who use third party telemarketers.
Mr. Dori was quoted in a Privacy Law360 article titled “TCPA Class Action Surge Shows No Sign of Abating” (5/28/2013). The article discusses the prognosis for existing and future lawsuits under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and Mr. Dori’s quote addresses the FCC’s ability to interpret portions of the Act in a way that can better rationalize which lawsuits move forward and which do not.
Mr. Dori was quoted in a post on The Blog of LegalTimes titled “Practitioners Say FCC Unlikely to Undergo Major Policy Shift with New Chief” (3/22/2013). The post and Mr. Dori’s comments addressed Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski’s announced departure from the agency and if there will be major policy shifts with new leadership.
Mr. Dori was quoted in a Privacy Law360 article titled "With HTC Deal, FTC Claims Power to Set Security Standard" (2/25/2013). The article and Mr. Dori’s comments addressed the terms of a consent order between HTC and the FTC on privacy and data security matters.
Mr. Dori was quoted in Bloomberg BNA’s E-Commerce and Tech Law blog post titled “Cyberlaw Predictions: Competition, Trademarks, Online Contracts” (01/14/13). The blog post contained comments on issues arising from cyberlaw policy.
Mr. Dori was quoted in Bloomberg BNA’s E-Commerce and Tech Law blog post titled “Cyberlaw Predictions: Big Data” (01/11/2013). The blog post contained predictions from legal and business experts on cyberlaw policy.
Mr. Dori was quoted in Bloomberg BNA’s Electronic Commerce & Law Report “Keeping Up with Domain Name Explosion, Big Data, Social Media, and Online Innovation are Top-of-Mind Legal Issues Among Cyberlaw Experts” (12/31/2012). The article discusses the most important legal developments in online law during 2012.
Mr. Dori participated in a Q&A with Law360 (9/22/2011) on telecommunications, privacy, and consumer protection law.
Mr. Dori is quoted in “MMA discuss 'comprehensive mobile privacy guidelines'” Data Protection Law & Policy (1/1/2011), which offers insight on the Mobile Marketing Association’s plans to develop a comprehensive set of mobile privacy guidelines.