Morgan Lewis
Washington, DC
www.morganlewis.com
Q: Please tell us about your company.
Founded in 1873, Morgan Lewis stands on the shoulders of nearly 150 years of achievement. With one of the largest telecommunications, media and technology practices in the world, composed of more than 25 lawyers and professionals, our team has played a pivotal role in nearly every significant development in the communications industry over the last 30 years, in United States and internationally. By authoring seminal proposals and developing groundbreaking legal strategies, we have not only met clients’ particular needs, but in some cases also opened new markets or changed the way telecommunications services and wireless-spectrum and internet-based technologies are regulated worldwide. Additionally, we have counseled clients who successfully secured broadband funding from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
Q: Tell us about company’s top executives and the work that they are doing in our industry.
Jami McKeon is the chair of Morgan Lewis, providing strategic direction to the firm’s more than 2,200 lawyers and specialists. Under her leadership, Morgan Lewis has grown into one of the principal global providers of comprehensive legal services, including corporate, transactional, litigation and regulatory services, throughout the United States, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
The firm’s telecommunications, media and technology practice is led by Andy Lipman. For more than 40 years, Andy has practiced in all aspects of communications law and related fields, including regulatory, transactional, litigation, legislative and land use. Andy remains an active member of INCOMPAS and has personally attended every single INCOMPAS (formerly COMPTEL) show since its inception.
Q: Explain your geographic reach. Where do you provide services?
With more than 30 offices globally, we provide services to clients throughout the United States, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Oceania. Our telecommunications, media and technology practice, which maintains a strong presence in the Washington, D.C., area, advises clients before federal government agencies, across the United States and internationally.
See a full list of Morgan Lewis’s office locations.
Q: What types of products and/or services do you offer your customers?
As part of a global, full-service firm, our lawyers regularly collaborate with top-level lawyers in all practice areas. This enables us to meet our telecommunications clients’ needs for broad and deep advice in policy, regulatory, transactional, international, litigation, legislative, privacy, tax and land-use matters.
Q: What is your target customer base?
Our lawyers represent more than two dozen INCOMPAS members, in addition to our work with clients with interests in a dynamic mix of competitive local services, internet-based services and applications, wireless and spectrum issues, subsea cable matters, and other international ventures.
Q: What are the biggest challenges that your company faces and how is your company overcoming these challenges?
Like many firms, our biggest challenge is ensuring the best representation for our clients in a dynamic market. To provide our clients with the best possible service, our teams work in collaboration—always ready to respond to the needs of our clients and craft powerful solutions for them.
Q: What are your competitive advantages; what sets you apart from other companies?
From our offices in strategic hubs of commerce, law and government, we provide services built on a cross-practice foundation of lawyers from multidisciplinary practice groups. This cross-practice collaboration has enabled our telecommunications, media, and technology practice to cultivate proficiency and experience to guide our clients through complex matters such as structuring and financing, regulatory compliance and more.
Q: How is the evolving communications marketplace impacting your business model?
We remain at the forefront of the communications field, advising our clients on the latest market developments, regulatory changes, legislative actions and commercial and technical issues. As the market evolves, so does our practice.
Q: How has your firm grown in recent years?
We are a global law firm that is constantly adding new customers and services. Most recently, Morgan Lewis opened an office in Seattle to better serve our firm’s technology clients in the Pacific Northwest.
Q: Describe your relationship with INCOMPAS. How long have you been a member? Why did you decide to join the association?
Morgan Lewis has been a member of INCOMPAS (previously COMPTEL) since its founding because of our shared commitment to competition, innovation and development in the technological space. As a member, we have remained active within the association and have attended every show since its inception, participated in discourse and thought leadership with association members, and recruited new members to join INCOMPAS, thus expanding the association’s footprint in the industry.
Q: How have you benefited from INCOMPAS membership?
Our membership with INCOMPAS has grown our network and strengthened our relationships with strategic partners in the telecommunications industry.