Practice Focus

Telecommunications, Internet, and Media

William E. Cook, Jr. is a partner in the Washington, DC, office where he has specialized in telecommunications and cable television law since 1988. Mr. Cook has assisted a FORTUNE 100 company and other commercial clients in the negotiation of multimillion dollar contracts for telecommunications services. He has advised clients on the regulatory implications of various telecommunications transactions. He has assisted such clients in obtaining the consent of the Federal Communications Commission, US Department of Justice and state and federal government agencies to mergers and acquisitions involving cable television and telecommunications companies. He also represents clients before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the federal courts on cable television and telecommunications matters. Mr. Cook also represents cable operators in franchise negotiations with local governments. He has been a frequent speaker on cable television and telecommunications regulatory and competition matters over the years before the Practising Law Institute, trade associations and other organizations. 

Prior Experience

Law Clerk-Honorable Richard C. Erwin, Chief Judge of the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. 

Representative Matters

• Assisting a FORTUNE 100 company in negotiating bulk purchases of telecommunications services.
• Representing a voice recognition service provider and others in negotiating bulk purchases of telecommunications services.
• Consulting with a multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) on: (a) the relationship between the status of competition in the MVPD industry and leverage in the negotiations between MVPDs and content providers, and (b) the key issues that arise in the negotiation of programming contracts.
• Representing Comcast Cable in the formal cable franchise renewal proceeding in San Jose, California, and in related First Amendment litigation in federal court.
• Counseling a MVPD on the federal, state, and local regulatory issues related to its roll-out of multichannel video programming to subscribers.
• Representing a major MSO in various cable franchise renewal proceedings.
• Representing a MVPD in the sale of cable systems with 310,000 subscribers  to another MVPD.
• Lobbying on behalf of clients with respect to the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, and representing clients in FCC rulemaking proceedings implementing the 1992 Act.
• Advising SBC Communications Inc. (now AT&T Inc.) in connection with its mergers with AT&T, Ameritech, and BellSouth.
• Representation of a long-distance carrier in transactions and on regulatory matters.  
• Representation of US utilities entering into the telecommunications marketplace.