Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski has announced his staff. Not surprisingly, the list includes quite a few lawyers.
Genachowski has tapped Edward Lazarus, a partner in Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld's Los Angeles office, to serve as his chief of staff. Lazarus is a former prosecutor, having served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California. Lazarus started his legal career as a law clerk to Justice Harry Blackmun.
Priya Aiyar will serve as a legal advisor, with particular responsibility for wireline competition and international issues. She joins the FCC from Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel, where she was a partner in the firm’s litigation and telecommunications practices.
Colin Crowell will serve as senior counselor to the chairman and will focus on the communications, legislative, intergovernmental affairs, and public liaison functions of the agency. Crowell previously worked for Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA).
Bruce Gottlieb will serve as Genachowski’s chief counsel and senior legal advisor. Gottlieb will manage the commission’s overall agenda and have responsibility for policy coordination with the bureaus.
Ruth Milkman will lead the transition effort in Genachowski’s office. Milkman served at the FCC between 1986 and 1998 in a variety of roles, including deputy chief of the International and Common Carrier bureaus. Milkman also was a founding partner of Washington’s Lawler, Metzger, Milkman & Keeney.
Mary Beth Richards will serve as Genachowski’s special counsel for FCC Reform, and will head a program to provide openness and transparency at the agency. Most recently, Richards worked as the FCC’s deputy general counsel, and has been serving as acting managing director.
Sherrese Smith will serve as a legal advisor, focusing on media, consumer and enforcement issues. She was most recently vice president and general counsel of Washington Post Digital. Prior to that, Smith was a member of the intellectual property group at Arnold & Porter.
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