Communications Law 'Deans' Hold Forth on Field Changes, Career Tips
Gone are the days when few firms had more than 20 lawyers, but the communications field is far more inclusive than it once was, veteran communications lawyers said at an FCBA event Wednesday. The anecdote-laden talks involved many career tips…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
from long-time practitioners for new lawyers. Networking is a must-do, said Wiley Rein co-founder Richard Wiley. He was famous for knowing secretaries' names at the FCC, said Diane Cornell, who most recently was special counsel to former Chairman Tom Wheeler. Cornell said reputation is a key lawyer asset that can easily get tarnished. "Don't screw people over," she said. "Don't lie." Former Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy said emails and texts largely replaced phone calls and in-face conversations, but prompt replies demanded by etiquette remain. Many talked up mentorships but said older lawyers can learn from younger peers. Talking about changes in overtime, Covington & Burling retired broadcast lawyer Jonathan Blake said when he started in the 1960s, partners filled out time sheets annually, and it was unheard of for law firms based elsewhere to practice in Washington. Discussing how to stay abreast of changing technologies, Abernathy said she made in-house engineers "my best friends." She advised lawyers to set up meetings between the FCC and clients working on noteworthy tech even if there's no advocacy on a proceeding but as a means of making connections. When at the agency, she said, "I loved those kinds of presentations." Blake said lobbying where one takes up more than 60 percent of the conversation is a bad session and there needs to be plenty of question asking. Overreach in lobbying "is the kiss of death," he said.