Trusted Legal Counsel
Services
I work with emerging service providers in the telecommunications and adjacent industries to identify and address critical issues, including FCC and state commission regulatory approvals, certifications, filings and licenses. I also handle related dispute, enforcement, investigation and litigation matters. In terms of subject matter, I am experienced with broadband, cybersecurity, CAP, CLEC, conduit, fiber, IPES, IXC, KYC, numbering, pole attachment, STIR/SHAKEN, traffic exchange, VoIP and ROW issues.
Meet Chris
Advocate
Experience
Experience
A passionate advocate for my clients, I have successfully represented them in a variety of legal matters, including contracts, regulatory approvals, transfers of control, subpoenas, investigations, negotiations, arbitrations, litigation, mediations, rulemakings and appeals. I work tirelessly to ensure that my clients attain the legal outcomes that enable their businesses to thrive.
Experience
Experience
Experience
I bring extensive experience and knowledge to bear on your legal matters. While serving at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, I supervised all telecommunications matters (including applications, transfers of control, broadband, state USF and pole attachments) and represented the PUC in litigation relating to the foregoing in sta
I bring extensive experience and knowledge to bear on your legal matters. While serving at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, I supervised all telecommunications matters (including applications, transfers of control, broadband, state USF and pole attachments) and represented the PUC in litigation relating to the foregoing in state and federal courts and before the FCC.
Prior to my service at the Pa. PUC, I served as General Counsel with a regional CLEC for 18+ years, overseeing everything from FCC and state compliance to drafting and negotiating traffic exchange agreements to litigating landmark cases in the telecommunications industry.
Engagement
Experience
Engagement
To ensure I remain on top of relevant issues, I actively participate in several professional development and educational organizations, including the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Maryland State Bar Association and the Federal Communications Bar Association. I've accepted invitations to speak at conferences including the National Asso
To ensure I remain on top of relevant issues, I actively participate in several professional development and educational organizations, including the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Maryland State Bar Association and the Federal Communications Bar Association. I've accepted invitations to speak at conferences including the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the Pennsylvania Bar Institute.
Representative Matters
Contracts
- Drafted and negotiated traffic exchange agreements with CLECs, IXCs and tandem transit providers.
- Negotiated, adopted or arbitrated numerous interconnection agreements with AT&T, Lumen and Verizon.
- Reviewed and negotiated a wide variety of telecommunications and ancillary service agreements, including for bandwidth, commissions, fiber, IP space, numbering, resale and transport.
Regulatory
- Counseled first CLEC to get statewide approval to provide service in all rural telephone company areas of Pennsylvania.
- Worked with local counsel to obtain CLEC certificates in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin & West Virginia.
- While at Pa. PUC, oversaw legal review of all applications relating to telecommunications providers, including abandonments, CAP, CLEC, ETC and IXC certificates, transfers of control, Pennsylvania Universal Service Fund (Pa. USF) and network modernization plan filings.
- At Pa. PUC, served on the Pennsylvania Rapid Broadband Assessment Team (Pa-RBAT) to handle pole attachment disputes on expedited basis.
Rulemakings
- In private practice and at Pa. PUC, participated in numerous FCC rulemakings through drafting comments and attending ex parte meetings with staff and Commissioners.
- Oversaw Pa. PUC rulemaking on cybersecurity standards for public utilities, Docket L-2022-3034353.
- Oversaw Pa. PUC rulemaking on future of Pa. USF, Docket L-2023-3040646.
Litigation
- Directed litigation resulting in Core Communications, Inc. v. FCC, 531 F.3d 849 (CADC 2008) (Agency's failure to provide legal basis to exclude ISP-bound calls from Telecommunications Act of 1996 (TA-96) reciprocal compensation requirements warranted mandamus and remand with directions to articulate legal basis).
- Oversaw litigation in Verizon Maryland, Inc. v. Core Communications, Inc., 405 Fed.Appx. 706 (CA4 2010) (ILEC failed to provide technically feasible, non-discriminatory and equal in quality interconnection pursuant to TA-96 Section 251(c)(2)).
- Briefed and argued AT&T Corp. v. Core Communications, Inc., 806 F.3d 715 (CA3 2015) (Under TA-96, states retain jurisdiction to regulate ISP-bound traffic where the state regulations do not conflict with federal law).
- Directed litigation in Middlesex Water Company v. Pa. PUC, 2024 WL 199558 (M.D.Pa. 2024) (PUC did not discriminate against interstate commerce: water utility, on its own volition, entered the Pennsylvania utility marketplace, thereby subjecting itself to the PUC's jurisdiction).
- Briefed and argued Hommrich v. Pa. PUC, 344 A.3d 121 (Pa.Commw.Ct. 2025) (Under Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (AEPS) Act, PUC had authority to promulgate regulations to provide for electric distribution company (EDC) cost recovery, allocation of EDC-customer interconnection costs, and when and how EDCs pay customer generators for excess generation).
Contact Us
Call, Email or Use the Webform Today
Van De Verg Law Office LLC
2214 Old Emmorton Road, Suite 200, Bel Air, MD, USA
Tel (484) 283-8529 or (484) CVD-VLAW Email inquiries@vandeverg.law
Hours of Operation
Mon | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Tue | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Wed | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Thu | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Fri | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Sat | Closed | |
Sun | Closed |
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