WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 4, 2003) – A group of four telecommunications and regulatory attorneys led by Frederick M. Joyce has joined the Washington office of Venable LLP. The group provides a broad range of legal services, including state and federal regulatory compliance, civil and appellate litigation, transactional work, and legislative counseling to the telecom and Internet infrastructure industries. Mr. Joyce will chair Venable’s telecommunications practice.
The four attorneys join from the Washington office of Alston & Bird, where Mr. Joyce led that firm’s telecommunications practice. Moving to Venable with him are Christine McLaughlin and Ronald E. Quirk, Jr. who will join as counsel, and Ellen Traupman, an associate. Capping a flurry of lateral movement to the firm this year, Venable now has approximately 240 lawyers practicing in Washington – the firm’s largest office.
Mr. Joyce, 45, brings nearly 20 years of experience providing counsel to nationally recognized telecom and investment companies including some of the nation’s largest Internet service providers, long distance carriers, wireless companies, cellular and PCS operators, satellite service providers, mass media broadcasters and cable television providers. Among his clients is Metrocall – the nation’s second largest wireless messaging carrier.
Last year, he 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 which once handled all of Canada’s long-distance calls. Mr. Joyce represents both lenders and investors in telecom matters, as well as manufacturers.
"Venable’s established work in FCC and FTC matters, along with the firm’s legislative and regulatory experience on Capitol Hill, made it an attractive choice because of the benefit my clients can receive from such complementary experience," said Mr. Joyce. "I look forward to working with the attorneys here, several of whom I have either known since college or law school or have worked with over the years."
Venable now has approximately 50 lawyers in its Regulatory Group, which encompasses FDA law, advertising and marketing, telecommunications, trade and professional associations, mass media, education, and customs and international law. In addition, there are separate practice groups devoted exclusively to environmental law, tax and government contracts, all of which have significant regulatory aspects.
"We are pleased that Rick Joyce and his three colleagues are joining us," said Ian Volner, chair of Venable’s Regulatory Group. "We expect that their telecom experience will be of immense benefit to many of our clients; the attorneys in the group certainly look forward to working with them."
Mr. Joyce is a 1984 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and a 1980 magna cum laude college graduate of George Washington University. He is a frequent lecturer and commentator on telecommunications law and the Internet, and has testified before the U.S. Congress on telecom issues. He lives in Mount Vernon, Virginia with his wife and three children.
Ms. McLaughlin, who joins as counsel, has overseen regulatory due diligence review for multimillion-dollar mergers and acquisitions in the telecom industry. She has drafted and negotiated agreements for a wide variety of telecommunications-related transactions, including contracts for the promotion and distribution of "wireless Web" services over telecommunications systems. She received her B.A. from Fordham University in 1987 and her J.D. from Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law in 1990, where she also received a certificate from the law school's Institute of Communications Law Studies.
Mr. Quirk also joins as counsel. He has represented clients before the FCC, including engaging in a number of complaint proceedings, and has also represented clients before state regulatory agencies and the Surface Transportation Board. He was previously an Attorney/Advisor in the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, where he was closely involved with – and in some cases was lead attorney in – various regulatory, auctioning and licensing proceedings. Before his legal career, he was a reporter and writer focusing on telecom issues. He received his B.A., with distinction, from George Mason University in 1988 and his J.D. from Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law in 1994, where he also received a certificate from the Institute of Communications Law Studies.
One of the American Lawyer’s top 100 law firms, Venable LLP has attorneys practicing in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property and government affairs. Venable serves corporate, institutional, governmental, nonprofit and individual clients throughout the U.S. and around the world from its headquarters in Washington, D.C. and offices in California, Maryland, New York and Virginia.