Justice (Lawyers)
Thursday, November 10, 2005, 1:30pm - 2:45pm
Upright - Amicable and favorable resolution of conflicts. Triumph over bigotry and prejudice. Legal action. Litigation. Contracts. Settlement. Divorce. Sometimes marriage depending upon the other cards and normally only when marriage contracts, legal or financial documents are a necessary part of the intended union. Clarity. Fairness. Arbitration. A straightforward choice. Judgment.
Reversed - Injustice. Inequality and bias. Separations not yet ratified or legalized. Delay. imbalance. Confusion surrounding legal or tax affairs. Complicate negotiations. unfair or delayed judgment.
The Lawyers do as lawyers do – debate the law and policy surrounding IP-based Communications. Leading attorneys will share their views on how the legislative, regulatory and legal challenges might play out.
Karen Brinkmann, Partner, Latham & Watkins
Karen Brinkmann is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Latham & Watkins. She provides regulatory and transactional expertise in the telecommunications, information technology, and electronic media sectors. Brinkmann is an expert on FCC regulation of telecom carriers. She is a leading advocate for rural and midsize telephone companies, before the FCC, USAC, and state regulatory commissions. She is active in the Federal Communications Bar Association and was co-chair of its Telecommunications Competition Committee from 1998 to 2000. She writes and speaks frequently on current regulatory topics. Her recent presentations have addressed: CPNI, telephone rate regulation and wireless telecommunications regulation. Brinkmann holds an AB from Brown University, and a JD from New York University.
Michael Hazzard, Partner, Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge, Rice
Michael Hazzard has an exceptional breadth of experience advising communications companies on regulatory, litigation, corporate, and e-commerce matters. He has worked with emerging and established companies in virtually all sectors of the industry, including competitive local exchange carriers, VoIP providers, wireless carriers, cable operators, international carriers, Internet service providers, large end users of telecommunications services, and private equity firms. Michael’s most recent efforts have focused on intermodal competition and convergence issues associated with bundling unique packages of services (e.g., cable, broadband, and wireless) and interconnection between intermodal networks (e.g., wireless and wireline network interconnection).
Cherie Kiser, Managing Member, Washington, DC Office; Chair, Communications Section, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo
Chérie Kiser is managing member of the Washington, DC office, a Policy Committee member, and chair of the Communications Section for Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. She devotes her practice to telecommunications law and Internet-related transactions, representing a wide range of clients. Since 1990, Kiser has been at the forefront of the expansion of new entrants into the voice and data communications markets, assisting companies in all aspects of their telecommunications and broadband entry strategies. She represents clients before the Federal Communications Commission and state regulatory agencies, and provides advice on state and federal legislative regulatory actions and the establishment and acquisition of communications networks, information technology, and related applications.
John Nakahata, Partner, Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis
John Nakahata is a partner in the Washington, DC, law firm of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis, LLP. His practice focuses on telecommunications, cable, and Internet regulation before the courts, Federal Communications Commission, state public utility commissions, Congress, and the Administration. Nakahata is widely recognized as one of the most knowledgeable common carrier lawyers. He has had substantial involvement with, and helped to lead, the major FCC intercarrier compensation, access reform, and universal service proceedings since 1996. During his tenure at the FCC, he was one of the principal architects of the FCC's implementation of the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996. Nakahata holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Mark Schneider, Partner, Jenner & Block
Mark D. Schneider is a partner in Jenner & Block’s Washington, DC office. He is a member of the Firm’s Telecommunications Practice. Schneider concentrates in practice before the federal appellate courts as well as the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice. Schneider played a major role for MCI defending the Federal Communications Commission’s regulations enforcing the 1996 Telecommunications Act. He has represented MCI at the FCC in a series of proceedings arising out of the 1996 Telecommunications Act and has successfully both challenged and defended FCC orders in the courts of appeals. Schneider graduated from Columbia University School of Law and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun.
