Telecom, Internet & Media

Our attorneys bring deep knowledge and wide professional experience to bear in the evolving areas of telecom, Internet/e-commerce, and media law.

We work closely with our legal colleagues in our extensive international trade and investment, transactional, antitrust, intellectual property, employment, and government affairs practices to meet our clients' diverse needs.

Telecom
Our telecom attorneys represent many of the world's leading and most innovative international companies in the wireline, wireless, satellite, cable, media, and Internet sectors. We are globally recognized for our work before US, European, and international (ITU, CEPT and WTO) regulators. We regularly represent communications clients on federal regulatory matters before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Departments of State, Commerce, Justice, Treasury and Defense, the US Trade Representative, and the US Congress.

We have represented major telecommunications companies in numerous transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, financings, complex commercial agreements, and major legislative initiatives.

E-Commerce/Internet
Actively developing legal matters relating to e-commerce, we advise extensively on all aspects of online trading and content provision. We have represented industry associations and many high-tech companies in e-commerce legal issues, including encryption, digital signatures, domain names, privacy, information security, and Internet and e-commerce taxation.

Media
Our media attorneys represent national, state, and local newspapers and magazine publishers, radio and television broadcasters, reporters, and other media interests. We defend clients against defamation, invasion of privacy and related claims; prosecute public records litigation under the Freedom of Information Act; respond to civil, criminal, and grand-jury subpoenas seeking testimony from reporters; and review content to minimize the likelihood of any successful defamation, privacy, or other action against the media company.

Noteworthy

• Ranked, Chambers USA 2008 - 2011: America’s Leading Business Lawyers; Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite: Regulatory (District of Columbia)
• Published "The F.C.C., Cable and Competition" by Thomas J. Bliley, Jr., The New York Times, November 3, 2007

Select News & Events

• The New York Times Quotes Steptoe’s Baker on Personal Data Privacy
• NPR Interviews Michael Vatis on Megaupload Copyright Case
• ‘To the Point’ Radio Interviews Michael Vatis on Cybersecurity
• Steptoe Receives 13 Practice, 45 Individual Mentions in Legal 500 United States 2011
• Michael Vatis to Participate in Experts' Panel on the State Secrets Privilege
• Steptoe Hosts ISPA Legal Forum on Next Generation Access
• Maury Shenk Speaks on Security-Related Legal Issues for Internet Telephony
• Maury Shenk Discusses Identity Management on Infosecurity Europe 2007 Panel

More News »

More Seminars & Events »

Publications

• The SEC and Cybersecurity
  January 20, 2012, The Deal
• Legal Ease: Plain Talk on Legal Topics - Here to Stay
  January 2011, Leader's Edge
• International Law Advisory - BIS Issues New Encryption Rule
  June 28, 2010
• Informationology: A New Framework for Understanding the Roles of Digital Information
  August 13, 2009

More Publications »