The Communications Group of Skadden, Arps, represents licensees, investors, lenders, governments and customers in the areas of telecommunications and media-related businesses and equipment. The group’s attorneys work on a variety of domestic and international transactional and regulatory matters with respect to television and radio broadcasting, multichannel video programming, mobile services, satellite services, long distance and local telecommunications services, terrestrial and undersea fiber-optic cable systems, the Internet and e-commerce. Skadden communications clients include some of the largest media, communications and investment firms in the United States and abroad, as well as start-up companies and telecommunications users. In addition, the firm ranked first by volume for global announced M&A deals in the Communications industry in 2008 (Bloomberg 2009).

The firm works on a wide range of federal, state and international issues. We assist clients in developing positions in regulatory, policy-making and licensing proceedings before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. Congress and executive branch departments, as well as state and foreign governments. We have represented clients in connection with legislative proposals in Congress covering key aspects of the Communications Act. We also have worked with state public utility commissions and local franchising authorities on issues affecting our clients’ ability to develop and provide telecommunications, cable and satellite services. In addition, we have advised entities regarding participation in various FCC-conducted spectrum auctions.

We have assisted entertainment, information and sports companies in negotiating media rights and regional, national and international carriage agreements. We represent clients on media and communications matters in litigation in the United States Supreme Court, the federal Courts of Appeals, and district courts.

We have helped numerous clients obtain federal and state regulatory approval to transfer control of carriers and licenses, or to enter the telecommunications sector, including in contested cases. This also has included utilities, transportation providers and other companies outside the communications industry, which have required securing approval for transfers of hundreds of licenses in complex transactions. Where foreign investment is involved in a transaction, we assist clients in obtaining the necessary approvals of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an interagency committee that reviews the national security, law enforcement and public safety implications of foreign investments in and acquisitions of U.S.-based entities. Working with the firm’s Brussels office, our communications attorneys also provide European competition law advice to telecommunications companies.

The Communications Group has worked with Skadden’s Corporate Restructuring Group on restructuring many domestic and foreign communications companies. We have assisted clients in obtaining regulatory authorization for transfers of control and discontinuance of service. We also have advised clients with respect to settlements of preference claims and structuring transactions to comply with various regulatory restrictions.

Skadden advises clients in connection with the business, legal and regulatory issues that arise in transactions in the communications and media industries, often working closely with the firm's corporate attorneys. We have provided assistance in acquisitions, sales, investments, joint ventures, public and private issuances of debt and equity securities, privatizations of telecommunications companies by foreign governments, and contracts for multinational voice and data communications services.

International Privatizations and Government Representation

Skadden also has represented numerous governments, telecommunications carriers and financial institutions in connection with the restructuring of various foreign telecommunications sectors and the privatization of government-owned telecommunications companies. Working with the firm's international corporate finance, tax, and merger and acquisition attorneys, our communications attorneys have represented governments and underwriters in telecommunications privatizations, as well as private telecommunications entities proposing to acquire ownership interests in newly privatized telecommunications firms.

We have worked on such transactions in:

Australia	India	Portugal
Austria	Indonesia	Puerto Rico
Belgium	Ireland	Romania
Brazil	Kazakhstan	South Africa
Croatia	Lithuania	South Korea
Czech Republic	Mexico	Spain
Denmark	New Zealand	Sweden
Finland	Nigeria	Thailand
Greece	Norway	United Kingdom
Hong Kong	Paraguay	Venezuela
Hungary	Philippines	Vietnam

In these assignments, we advised both governmental and private-sector clients on legislative and regulatory structures, licenses and concessions, and prepared corporate transactional documents.

For additional information regarding Skadden's communications practice, please contact, in Washington, D.C., Toni Cook Bush at 202.371.7000 or, in Chicago, Warren G. Lavey at 312.407.0700.