Rick Joyce focuses on telecommunications law, and is chair of Venable's Communications Group.

His practice includes a special emphasis on wireless communications, Internet-based communications technologies, mobile marketing and emerging communications technologies. Mr. Joyce has extensive experience with electronic privacy law, mobile finance/mobile banking and social media law.

He has represented clients in matters involving domestic and international regulations and treaties, public and private financial transactions and appellate and civil litigation pertaining to telecommunications and state/federal telecommunications legislation. He has also developed significant experience in the burgeoning field of mobile banking, providing advice to financial institutions on the regulatory and security requirements that apply to mobile financial services and on the interrelation between federal telecommunications and banking regulations with regard to mobile financial services.

Mr. Joyce's experience with wireless operations goes back to the first cellular radiotelephone networks in the United States and the first deployment of overseas wireless networks. He helped create the first clearinghouse and standards for Short Messaging Services (SMS) throughout South America and the first inter-carrier roaming agreements in South America. He has written and lectured extensively on developing law in the fields of mobile banking, electronic privacy and social media.

Representative Clients

Providers of communications services, including:

• entrepreneurial providers, domestic and international
• mobile media/mobile content providers
• Internet service providers
• local exchange carriers
• public safety service providers
• telecommunications companies, local and long distance
• wireless providers

Major users of communications services, including:

• banks/financial Institutions
• Fortune 500 companies
• call centers
• governments/municipalities
• hotel chains
• public safety services
• equipment manufacturers

Significant Matters

Mr. Joyce has represented some of the world's largest Internet "backbone" service providers, interexchange (long distance) carriers, wireless messaging, cellular and PCS operators, satellite service providers, microwave operators, broadcasters, cable TV service providers, power utility companies and wireless "local loop" carriers. He has represented these clients in commercial transactions, certification proceedings and in tariff-access-charge, ratemaking and other regulatory proceedings before state and federal agencies, courts of law, and state and federal legislative bodies.

He has represented VOIP service providers, Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs), fiber optic/broadband carriers, "hosted PBX" service providers and Internet Service Providers in interconnection negotiations, business transactions, and regulatory compliance matters.

Recently, Mr. Joyce helped close one of the largest acquisitions in the fiber optics industry -- private equity fund Cerberus Capital's $150 million take-over of Teleglobe, a company that once handled all of Canada's long-distance calls.

Mr. Joyce advised in the $1 billion merger of two of the nation's largest wireless messaging companies.

Mr. Joyce represents equipment manufacturers, lenders and investors in various telecommunications matters.

He has extensive experience representing international cable carriers in matters such as U.S. and international regulatory requirements, negotiation of use and ownership agreements, transfer of control and ownership issues, landing rights and other regulatory issues governing undersea cable systems.

Activities

Mr. Joyce has been a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association since 1984. He is past co-chair of the FCBA’s ad hoc Committee on Law Firm Management.

Mr. Joyce has been appointed to the Fairfax County Juvenile Justice Citizen’s Advisory Committee; he was a member of the Steering Committee for the Friends of Mount Vernon, and is a volunteer lawyer for the Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts.