Dramatic regulatory changes are afoot that could fundamentally upend business models, impact VoIP services, and collide with your bottom line. What are the key decisions on the horizon – at the FCC, in Congress, at the state level, and internationally? How will they affect your company? How can you stay ahead of key decisions and join other industry leaders in shaping positive outcomes?

Ron Del Sesto advises businesses that offer innovative products and services through a synthesis of unique intellectual property, computer technology and telecommunications networks and represents clients before the Federal Communications Commission and state public utility commissions.

Ron advises numerous companies on legal issues that arise at the state, federal and international level relating to the provision of Internet Protocol Enabled Services, including services that use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. Ron also advises on numbering administration, privacy matters, cost and provisioning of unbundled network elements, interconnection agreements with incumbent local exchange carriers and next-generation network architectures. Additionally, he assists domestic and international clients on regulatory, transactional and litigation-related matters including regulatory compliance for mergers, acquisitions and securities issuances. Ron also negotiates purchases of large packages of customized telecommunications services for numerous Fortune 1000 companies.

Jim Kohlenberger is the Executive Director of the VON Coalition and a former White House technology policy advisor. At the White House he helped formulate U.S. policy on technology, telecommunications, and the Internet. Specifically, he worked to help pass the Telecommunications Act of 1996, help shape the administration's hands-off approach to the Internet and e-commerce, and help spearhead administration efforts to bridge the digital divide and connect every classroom to the Internet. He now runs his own consulting practice.

Kevin Minsky serves as Policy Counsel at Microsoft and advises the company’s various product groups -- including software, hardware, and services -- on federal, state, and international telecommunications policy and compliance issues. Prior to Microsoft, Mr. Minsky worked as an Assistant General Counsel at the Federal Bureau of Investigation in which he counseled the FBI on CALEA matters/policy, including the FCC rulemaking, enforcement, testing, and standards. From 1997-2003, Mr. Minsky was an associate attorney in the Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman, LLP, telecommunications practice where he represented carriers and VoIP providers on licensing, interconnection, rights-of-way, transactional, and other matters.

Glenn Richards, a Partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in Washington, DC, represents voice over internet protocol (VoIP) companies, long distance carriers, competitive local exchange carriers, equipment manufacturers, private network operators, telecommunications trade associations and information service providers in transactional and litigation matters, and before the Federal Communications Commission, state public utility commissions and the International Telecommunication Union. Glenn also negotiates global telecommunications service contracts on behalf of large corporations. He is the author of numerous articles on telecommunications and is a frequent speaker on telecommunications issues such as VoIP, universal service, CALEA, and the local and interexchange markets. He received his law degree from New York Law School and his bachelor’s degree in journalism from West Virginia University. Glenn can be reached at 202-663-8215 or glenn.richards@pillsburylaw.com.