Michael Lazarus

Managing Member

Michael is one of the founding members of TLP, and currently is the Managing Member of the Firm. He advises domestic and international clients in the telecommunications industry on transactional and regulatory matters before the Federal Communications Commission and state and local regulatory bodies. He handles a wide range of legal matters for telecommunications companies, including general counseling on federal regulatory issues, regulatory policy advocacy at the FCC and on Capitol Hill, spectrum auction advice, communications-related litigation before the FCC, federal courts, state courts and state public utility commissions, international telecommunications ventures, and a wide range of other transactions including mergers and acquisitions, equipment contracts, debt and equity placements, intercarrier arrangements and interconnection agreements.

Michael specializes in the representation of rural, small and medium-sized carriers against the dominance of larger carriers. He has a particular expertise in the deployment of broadband technologies, including wireless, wireline and the emergence of new technologies. He is often interviewed about his views on the telecommunications industry, and has been quoted extensively in Law360, Communications Daily and other notable telecommunications news outlets.

Education

University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 2002

Duke University, B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Distinction in Political Science, 1999

Prior Experience

Paul Hastings LLP, 2006 – 2011

Crowell and Moring, 2002 – 2006

Fun Fact

Mike has performed as lead singer multiple times at the Gifts for the Homeless “Battle of the Law Firm Bands,” with the band “One for the Governor.”

Recent, Representative Matters

Guidance to broadband providers on broadband funding initiatives, including Universal Service, and the recent bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the American Rescue Plan Act.
Representation of the largest telecommunications provider in Alaska on a broad array of regulatory and corporate issues, including spectrum acquisition and management, infrastructure contracts, spectrum auctions, backhaul transactions, resale agreements, E-911, VoIP, construction requirements, number porting and FCC rules compliance.
Representation of a wireless microphones manufacturer before the FCC with regard to the use of critical UHF spectrum for content creation.
Represents and provides guidance to numerous carriers with regard to spectrum band proceedings over 3 GHz before the FCC.