By: Laura Phillips
Jennifer Richter leads the Telecom, Media & Technology Practice at Akin resident in the DC office. In addition to her own very active practice, Jennifer sits on the firm’s Regulatory Steering Committee, and she recently rotated off the firms Partnership Admissions Committee. Akin has a deep and storied lobbying practice and very strong Restructuring, Funds and Trade practices, Jennifer enjoys collaborating across the firm with these practices and others that intersect with TMT companies. I was delighted to have a chance to connect with Jennifer as we are all digging out from our recent scrape with winter snowstorms.
Q. What attracted you to the field of communications?
A. Under the heading of “there are no mistakes,” I signed up for a survey course my freshman year of college called Introduction to Broadcasting. I found the professor and the subject matter totally fascinating and decided to major in broadcasting and journalism. After undergrad, I chose a law school where I could work on both my law degree and a masters in mass communications. At the time there were only three law schools in the country that offered this specialty – Drake, Pepperdine and Catholic. I’m from the Midwest, Drake was relatively close and offered me a scholarship, so I chose Drake. If anyone wants to know more about Drake, I sit on the Board of Counselors for Drake Law School today.
Q. Tell us about the various places you’ve worked through the years.
A. My first job in communications law was at Pepper & Corazzini on K Street – a wonderful and supportive group of people. It was 1992 and I was hired into a “new” practice that focused on wireless networks. Can you imagine? Our nation’s commercial wireless networks were in their infancy – the second round of cellular licenses were assigned by lottery by the FCC in 1988 in reaction to the cost and cumbersome nature of the comparative hearing licensing process. I was working with many companies that were trying to license and lease EBS and BRS spectrum at 2.5 GHz (the bands were known as ITFS and MMDS at the time!). In 1994, I was recruited to become General Counsel of a wireless company that was building networks on the 2.5 GHz spectrum across the country. This spectrum has a somewhat tortured history, but it is key spectrum for T-Mobile and used in their 5G deployments. My company was sold to Sprint in 1999. I then joined Morrison & Foerster where I continued to work on deals and regulatory work for Sprint, Clearwire and others. We also worked on deals and regulatory work for T-Mobile related to their PCS wireless networks, fiber optics deals for Qwest, Teleglobe and others, data center deals, etc. I received some great training at MoFo. I moved my practice to Patton Boggs in 2005 when I was pregnant with my first child. I led the Telecom and Technology practice at Patton Boggs, co-led the Public Policy Department for a time, and served on the Executive Committee of the firm. When Patton Boggs merged with Squire Sanders in 2014, I moved my practice to Akin, where I lead the TMT group today. Akin has a super platform for a telecom practice with many complementary practice areas, and I am very happy I landed here.
Q. Have things unfolded in your career more or less the way you planned?
A. I love this question. I don’t know that I ever really thought about how my career should or would unfold. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with smart lawyers, great clients and great companies. My main goal has always been to do work I find interesting, and to keep learning, challenging myself and developing my expertise. This is still true after 33 years of practicing law. One thing that surprised me in my career was the leadership positions I was offered, particularly in my early years. I tried to decline some of these leadership positions at first, particularly in law firms, because I wasn’t sure if I was ready. But the law firm leaders who offered me these positions believed in me and supported me, and that gave me confidence. Today, I enjoy all components of what it takes to run a successful practice, but the main thing I enjoy about leadership is helping young lawyers to define their careers. I was given meaningful opportunities to first-chair client representations at a young age, and it’s fun to pay it forward and watch young lawyers on our team blossom.
Q. What’s the most interesting or challenging thing that you’ve done in your current position?
A. Beyond working with companies that deployed some of the first commercial wireless and broadband networks in our country, which was super interesting, a few other challenging matters stand out in my mind: the dozens of early E-rate denials based on USAC’s “blacklist” that we appealed and won; the successful petition for declaratory ruling we received on a TCPA matter that changed the course of a class action lawsuit; the work to convince the FCC to increase reimbursement rates for the Video Relay Service because functional equivalency has not yet been achieved for deaf and hard of hearing individuals; and the foundational work we started over 10 years ago to help our government and industry find suitable spectrum solutions for uncrewed aircraft systems, advanced air mobility and UAS traffic management. I’m happy to say that I still find the work interesting and challenging!
Q. Is or was there something interesting or someone who surprised or impressed you during your career and why?
A. A number of years ago, three people that I worked with, who mentored me and believed in me, passed away during the same year and I spent time reflecting on what I learned from each of them. Bob Corazzini taught me the importance of never assuming anything about the facts or the law – take time to study the problem and think through different angles for resolution. Bill Kingery taught me the importance of focusing on your own game, tending to your knitting and continuing to strive to make progress for your company and shareholders. Tom Boggs taught me the importance of loving and valuing coworkers and colleagues. They were all great leaders and mentors. Perhaps the greatest leader I’ve worked with, though, is Kim Koopersmith, the Chair of Akin who is remarkable, strategic and inspirational in more respects than I can possibly express here.
Q. What do you enjoy reading?
A. I like to read non-fiction, historical books, particularly about figures in Washington, DC. Right now I’m reading “Kingmaker: Pamela Harriman’s Astonishing Life of Power, Seduction and Intrigue” by Sonia Purnell.
Q. Is there something (a hobby or other tidbit) people don’t know about you that you are willing to share?
A. A number of people in the bar know that I sing (or I used to!) with my law firm band, Night Work. We won Law Rocks! this past year, which was a BLAST, but I am now retired from singing. Time for some new blood! What most people probably don’t know is that I’m in my 12th year of teaching Sunday School with another mom and lawyer, and this work is probably the most satisfying work in my life.
Q. Can you share your perspective on the pitfalls to avoid or other career advice for those who are just getting started in the communications field?
A. The main thing I preach to young lawyers is to invest in your career. Don’t sit at your desk waiting for great work to come to you. Pursue topics that are interesting to you even if there isn’t a paying client yet. Volunteer your time to work as part of industry/government working groups that are working on important regulatory and policy issues. Learn about a topic and write articles. Invest in your education as a lawyer. Get out from behind your desk and go to conferences where you can hear from, and talk with, business people about their plans and challenges. Learn how to walk the walk, and talk the talk, with business people. Invest, invest, invest in yourself.
I also would note that the way to be a successful lawyer in the area of communications has changed significantly over the last 33 years. It’s not sufficient to know the workings of the FCC. If it ever was an isolated agency, it is no longer; it is part of a broader ecosystem of agencies that handle spectrum issues, supply chain and national security issues and more. Take the time to develop an understanding not only of the FCC and its workings, but how Washington, including Congress and other agencies and departments, may interact to create opportunities for your clients. Appreciate that there are many levers in some cases that can be utilized to advance a client’s interests.
Q. How has your life changed as a result of COVID-19 and what are you looking forward to doing next?
A. Before COVID I was traveling a lot for work meetings and speeches. I was gone from home A LOT. Work meetings and conferences went online during COVID. Many work meetings and board meetings are still happening remotely, but conferences are largely back in person. I am starting to travel for work conferences again. Our family is traveling more with COVID behind us. We had a great trip last summer to Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Greece and Switzerland. We are looking forward to more international travel in 2025.
Q. How long have you been an FCBA member, and what to you is the value of FCBA membership?
A. I joined the FCBA in 1992. From the very beginning it was a great place for me to meet colleagues, refer work and receive referrals, and grow in my understanding of the industry. Some of my best friends in DC were met through the FCBA. While it’s been some time since I was a young lawyer who attended multiple brown bag lunches and CLEs, even in areas that were not central to my practice, I am still a big fan of these FCBA programs both for learning and for connecting to others in the field.