Michael D. Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Illinois

I provide legal and regulatory advice relating to FCC, state regulatory, and local requirements for telecommunications providers, information service providers, video and cable providers, mobile service providers, resellers, wholesale facility providers, and other innovative technology providers. My experience includes providing counsel relating to several asset acquisitions, stock acquisitions, and mergers of entities, including revisions to purchase agreements, authority and license transfer and assignment analyses, and state and local cable and open video agreement agreement transfers and assignments analyses, negotiating and drafting international interconnection agreements and carrier access agreements, and handling all aspects of proceedings before the FCC and various state commissions, including testimonial hearings before several state commissions. I've also advised entities on federal and state Universal Service Fund programs, including the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP), Lifeline, Connect America Fund (CAF), Rural Digital Opportunity (RDOF), as well as with respect to state program requirements concerning the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) broadband program and the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, and provided advice on Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) and other telecommunications infrastructure requirements and disputes. In addition, I've represented investors in blockchain SAFTs (Simple Agreements for Future Tokens) in a breach of contract and fraud dispute, licensors in software license implementation disputes, and lead a tutorial-seminar on the legal requirements and pitfalls of cloud-computing.

Warren, New Jersey

As a legal intern, I researched and drafted legal memoranda of law on various topics, including indemnification, vicarious liability, the Consumer Fraud Act, and other topics.

East Hanover, New Jersey

As a general counsel legal intern, I researched antitrust and benchmarking principles and government pricing requirements, and assisted with employment and state labor law requirements, and advertising claims. (This position was paid through Kelly Services).

Duluth, Georgia

As a general counsel legal intern, I researched customs law, advertising law, U.S. and Canadian price discrimination laws, and state statutes on contact lens manufacturing and sales. I also participated in an outside counsel human resource and employment audit, and coordinated documentation for a U.S. Customs FOCUS audit assessment. (This position was paid through Randstad).

As Regional Network Engineer in Chicago, Illinois (12/2000-7/2003), I chaired a committee to create nationwide standard operating procedures for transport facility design and implementation. I was also responsible for code administration and managed and implemented several regional engineering projects, including directory assistance, prepaid platform design, and local exchange carrier outage notifications.As Network Design Planner in Livonia, Michigan (7/2000-11/2000), I was in charge of transport facility design and implementation, and code administration in Michigan and part of Ohio.As Project Manager in Livonia, Michigan (4/1999-7/2000 with Omnipoint Communications), I was responsible for the Phase 2 and Phase 3 buildout oversight by tracking development milestones for the network buildout in Michigan and Ohio.

J.D., Magna Cum Laude

In my last year of law school, I participated in the Appellate Litigation Clinic where I briefed and argued a case before the U.S. Court.

B.A.