Mr Dave Thomas > Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 100
WASHINGTON DC 20006
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States
Dave Thomas  photo

Work Department

Business Trial; Governmental

Position

Dave Thomas is a partner in the Business Trial Practice Group and Office Managing Partner of Sheppard Mullin’s Washington, D.C. office. He is also the partner in charge of lateral recruiting for Sheppard Mullin’s Washington, D.C. office.

Dave’s national practice handles matters in the telecommunications and broadband communications industries, as well as in the cyber and data security sectors. His practice focuses on the deployment and operations of competitive wire-based and wireless networks and services, with a particular emphasis on the mesh of federal, state and local regulations surrounding broadband networks in matters involving network operations and security, local franchising, rights-of-way and infrastructure.

During his more than 25 years as counsel to the nation’s top cable and broadband companies, cable and telecommunications trade associations and other business organizations, Dave became a nationally recognized authority on utility and telecommunications infrastructure, pole attachments, rights-of-way, federal, state and local broadband and telecommunications regulatory and communications plant deployment issues and public utility law. He has worked on cases in approximately 40 states.

Dave handles a wide range of regulatory, litigation and transactional matters involving telecommunications providers, broadcasters, satellite communications, federal, state and local licensing and permitting, data security and privacy and spectrum use. He litigates before the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), numerous state public service commissions and federal and state courts. In addition to those bodies, he regularly appears before state legislatures and county and municipal governments.

A frequent speaker at communications and utility industry conferences, Dave has published works on a variety of domestic and international industry issues, including cyber and data security, new technology, infrastructure and use, network deployment and spectrum use and allocation.

Languages

Spanish

Memberships

Member, Federal Communications Bar Association

Member, International Association of Privacy Professionals

Member, Advisory Board, Webster’s New World Telecom Dictionary, Wiley Publishing, 2008

Education

J.D., Boston University School of Law, 1990

M.S., Boston University, 1987

A.B., Cornell University, 1984

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory

With a strong background in the cable industry, the telecoms team at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP advises a range of cable providers and industry groups, with a particular focus on infrastructure mandates. The firm fields a growing space and satellite practice, taking on a number of new clients from the sector in the past year, and representing satellite operators in FCC proceedings. Focusing on the satellite and wireless sectors, Brian Weimer leads the Washington DC-based team. Paul Werner has an established contentious practice, representing communications providers in litigation and arbitration at state, federal, appellate and international levels. Dave Thomas has built up a diverse clientele that ranges from telecoms providers to broadcasters, advising on wireless and broadband networks, satellite communications, licensing and permitting, and spectrum use, while Douglas Svor brings extensive experience before the FCC and a ‘deep regulatory background’, advising operators and investors in the wireless, satellite and technology sectors. Imad Matini, Abraham Shanedling and Hannah Wigger are other key names to note.