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October 13, 2023
Join Nashville partner Bob Wade for the in-person Hawaii Regional Compliance Conference hosted by the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA). This event offers attendees compliance training throughout each educational session, led by experienced healthcare professionals.
HCCA Hawaii Regional Healthcare Compliance Conference
Idea Exchange
Debra McGuire Mercer
Of Counsel
Suite 900
Washington, D.C., 20001
Debra focuses on communications regulation and judicial and administrative litigation. She has represented clients in adjudicatory, enforcement, and rulemaking proceedings before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), state public utility commissions, and courts. Debra regularly counsels state government agencies and communications companies, including companies that provide telecommunications, internet, wireless, cable television, satellite, and broadcast services, on...
Debra focuses on communications regulation and judicial and administrative litigation. She has represented clients in adjudicatory, enforcement, and rulemaking proceedings before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), state public utility commissions, and courts. Debra regularly counsels state government agencies and communications companies, including companies that provide telecommunications, internet, wireless, cable television, satellite, and broadcast services, on compliance with federal and state regulatory requirements. She also advises companies regarding FCC and state commission review of mergers and acquisitions, the Universal Service Fund, broadband funding, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), real estate agreements involving communications infrastructure, net neutrality, spectrum licensing and leasing, and equipment authorization and labeling of radiofrequency devices. She has extensive experience with representing service providers that participate in the Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Debra has worked with clients in several industries, including real estate, healthcare, hospitality, and consumer communications.
compliance with federal and state regulatory requirements. She also advises companies regarding FCC and state commission review of mergers and acquisitions, the Universal Service Fund, broadband funding, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), real estate agreements involving communications infrastructure, net neutrality, spectrum licensing and leasing, and equipment authorization and labeling of radiofrequency devices. She has extensive experience with representing service providers that participate in the Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Debra has worked with clients in several industries, including real estate, healthcare, hospitality, and consumer communications.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Represented largest U.S. wireless telecommunications reseller before the FCC and state public utility commissions in proceedings seeking designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier to provide Lifeline service; obtained designation in over 40 states.
- Represented major corporation before the FCC regarding its emergence from bankruptcy and in various transactions concerning its wireless licenses; secured authority from the FCC to transfer control of licenses in major transaction; developed compliance plan for managing wireless licenses.
- Advised state government agency regarding compliance with FCC wireless license regulations; drafted a request for waiver of construction requirements and showings of substantial service to secure licenses renewals; negotiated a lease of radiofrequency spectrum with another state agency.
- Represented international telecommunications carrier before Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) challenging audit findings regarding Universal Service Fund contributions; USAC reversed its audit findings.
- Represented telecommunications reseller in federal court litigation involving breach of contract and tortious interference with business claims. Drafted briefs arguing that arbitration clause in service agreement was not applicable; district court decision was affirmed by appellate court on interlocutory review.
- Represented a major cable company in a contested proceeding before FCC administrative law judge concerning a competitor’s qualifications to hold microwave licenses for the transmission of video programming in the New York City market. The FCC affirmed the Administrative Law Judge’s decision.
- Drafted U.S. Supreme Court petition for a writ of certiorari to the Eighth Circuit for a trade association representing companies operating local telecommunications networks in AT&T et al. v. Iowa Utilities Board. The petition focused on the FCC’s authority to regulate the pricing of access to local telecommunications networks under provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, JD (1992)
- Georgetown University, BS, BA, Finance and International Management, magna cum laude (1989)
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Practice Areas
Industries
Representative Matters
- Represented largest U.S. wireless telecommunications reseller before the FCC and state public utility commissions in proceedings seeking designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier to provide Lifeline service; obtained designation in over 40 states.
- Represented major corporation before the FCC regarding its emergence from bankruptcy and in various transactions concerning its wireless licenses; secured authority from the FCC to transfer control of licenses in major transaction; developed compliance plan for managing wireless licenses.
- Advised state government agency regarding compliance with FCC wireless license regulations; drafted a request for waiver of construction requirements and showings of substantial service to secure licenses renewals; negotiated a lease of radiofrequency spectrum with another state agency.
- Represented international telecommunications carrier before Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) challenging audit findings regarding Universal Service Fund contributions; USAC reversed its audit findings.
- Represented telecommunications reseller in federal court litigation involving breach of contract and tortious interference with business claims. Drafted briefs arguing that arbitration clause in service agreement was not applicable; district court decision was affirmed by appellate court on interlocutory review.
- Represented a major cable company in a contested proceeding before FCC administrative law judge concerning a competitor’s qualifications to hold microwave licenses for the transmission of video programming in the New York City market. The FCC affirmed the Administrative Law Judge’s decision.
- Drafted U.S. Supreme Court petition for a writ of certiorari to the Eighth Circuit for a trade association representing companies operating local telecommunications networks in AT&T et al. v. Iowa Utilities Board. The petition focused on the FCC’s authority to regulate the pricing of access to local telecommunications networks under provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Media
Recognitions
- Legal 500 United States, Telecoms and Broadcast–Regulatory (2023)
Professional Activities
- Federal Communications Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar Association
Debra focuses on communications regulation and judicial and administrative litigation. She has represented clients in adjudicatory, enforcement, and rulemaking proceedings before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), state public utility commissions, and courts. Debra regularly counsels state government agencies and communications companies, including companies that provide telecommunications, internet, wireless, cable television, satellite, and broadcast services, on... compliance with federal and state regulatory requirements. She also advises companies regarding FCC and state commission review of mergers and acquisitions, the Universal Service Fund, broadband funding, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), real estate agreements involving communications infrastructure, net neutrality, spectrum licensing and leasing, and equipment authorization and labeling of radiofrequency devices. She has extensive experience with representing service providers that participate in the Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Debra has worked with clients in several industries, including real estate, healthcare, hospitality, and consumer communications.
Experience
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.Representative Matters
- Represented largest U.S. wireless telecommunications reseller before the FCC and state public utility commissions in proceedings seeking designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier to provide Lifeline service; obtained designation in over 40 states.
- Represented major corporation before the FCC regarding its emergence from bankruptcy and in various transactions concerning its wireless licenses; secured authority from the FCC to transfer control of licenses in major transaction; developed compliance plan for managing wireless licenses.
- Advised state government agency regarding compliance with FCC wireless license regulations; drafted a request for waiver of construction requirements and showings of substantial service to secure licenses renewals; negotiated a lease of radiofrequency spectrum with another state agency.
- Represented international telecommunications carrier before Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) challenging audit findings regarding Universal Service Fund contributions; USAC reversed its audit findings.
- Represented telecommunications reseller in federal court litigation involving breach of contract and tortious interference with business claims. Drafted briefs arguing that arbitration clause in service agreement was not applicable; district court decision was affirmed by appellate court on interlocutory review.
- Represented a major cable company in a contested proceeding before FCC administrative law judge concerning a competitor’s qualifications to hold microwave licenses for the transmission of video programming in the New York City market. The FCC affirmed the Administrative Law Judge’s decision.
- Drafted U.S. Supreme Court petition for a writ of certiorari to the Eighth Circuit for a trade association representing companies operating local telecommunications networks in AT&T et al. v. Iowa Utilities Board. The petition focused on the FCC’s authority to regulate the pricing of access to local telecommunications networks under provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, JD (1992)
- Georgetown University, BS, BA, Finance and International Management, magna cum laude (1989)
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Practice Areas
- Government Relations Strategies
- Appellate Practice & Legal Strategies
- Outsourcing & Digital Transformation
Industries
- Legal 500 United States, Telecoms and Broadcast–Regulatory (2023)
- Federal Communications Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar Association
Highlights from the Firm’s Idea Exchange
