Stephen R. Freeland

Representative Matters

• Obtained precedent-setting summary judgment in favor of defendant-telemarketer for charities in putative national class action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleging violations of the TCPA's Do-Not-Call provisions and testing the boundaries of the TCPA's "nonprofit exemption" to liability. Spiegel v. Associated Community Services, Inc., No. 1:15-cv-08504 (N.D. Ill.)
• Defending an online service provider in an enforcement action brought by the Federal Trade Commission under Section 5 of the FTC Act and ROSCA (S.D. Fla.)
• Defending several energy supply companies in separate consumer class actions pending in New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania federal courts, alleging violations of state consumer protection and false advertising laws arising out of the suppliers' respective variable-rate advertising and marketing practices
• Representing plaintiff education network in trademark infringement suit against competitor (N.D. Ga.); obtained permanent injunction against defendants
• Representing a rural telecommunications company in administrative actions before the FCC and in an APA challenge in the D.C. Circuit concerning Universal Service Funds and NECA payments
• Representing of an individual defendant in TCPA class action (E.D. Mo.; 8 Cir.)
• Represented plaintiff licensing association in copyright infringement action (E.D. Va.)
• Represented plaintiff engine brake manufacturer in trade secret misappropriation case concerning engine brake technology provided to a Chinese competitor. Case settled favorably for plaintiff; defendant assigned his U.S. patents concerning the technology in dispute to plaintiff as part of settlement (M.D.N.C. 2015)
• Represented defendant CLEC in successful defense against a patent infringement suit, including defeating motion for preliminary injunction and obtaining a judgment of invalidity of the patent. An award of summary judgment was affirmed on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (N.D. Ill. 2012)
• Represented an industry trade association in defense against putative nationwide federal antitrust class actions consolidated through the MDL panel; case settled on terms favorable to trade association (N.D. Ill. 2014)
• Represented a manufacturer of generic antiviral in defense against patent infringement suit filed by competitor (E.D. Va.)
• Represented a reseller of ID scanning equipment and related software solutions in defense against patent infringement action (W.D. Wash.)
• Represented a major consumer product retailer in defense against a trademark and patent infringement suit concerning propane grills (N.D. Ill. 2013)
  
   

Education

• J.D. magna cum laude George Mason University School of Law 2006
• B.A. summa cum laude Marymount University 2000

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Maryland
• Virginia

Court Admissions

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• Supreme Court of Virginia
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Professional Memberships and Activities

• Frequent presenter and blogger on the TCPA and TSR

• Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Washington, DC, 2014 – 2018