Garvey Schubert Barer (GSB) has expanded its Communications, Telecom & Media practice in the Washington, D.C., office by adding two individuals who are formerly partners in the firm Schwartz, Woods & Miller.
Joining GSB are Lawrence M. Miller and Steven C. Schaffer
“We’ve worked alongside and across the table from Larry and Steve over the years, and they are among the finest counselors in the radio and television industry. We couldn’t be happier to welcome them to the GSB family,” said John Crigler, a lead GSB attorney. “With nearly zero overlap in our client base, and with expertise in different areas of the law, this combination makes GSB stronger while offering more benefits to clients of both firms.”
The addition of Miller and Schaffer — and their clients — adds what GSB calls “immediate and complementary capabilities and depth to an already strong team.”
The Communications, Telecom & Media group at GSB already is comprised of 10 attorneys in the D.C. office. GSB has approximately 200 public media clients.
“As part of GSB, we will have the support of associates, legal assistants, and other staff to provide more depth and breadth to our practice and our clients,” said Miller. “In addition, we now have access to a diverse range of other practice areas to provide additional services as needed.”
For nearly 50 years, Schwartz, Woods & Miller represented radio and television station licensees, both commercial and public, and non-broadcast licensees of the FCC.
The firm assisted in licensing, regulatory compliance, and station sales and purchases; and also provided counsel to broadcasters and independent producers on program production and distribution and related copyright and trademark matters and counseled investor clients on major telecom mergers and special opportunities.
Up until recently, the three-person firm was comprised of Schaffer, Miller and Malcolm Stevenson, who has retired.
“GSB is recognized by the industry as the premier public radio firm, with deep knowledge in all aspects of public radio and a particular knowledge of streaming,” said Schaffer. “In addition, their strong telecom and intellectual property practices will mean we can provide more specialized assistance to our clients.”
Miller’s practice includes FCC regulation and compliance, program production and distribution, contracts, copyright and trademark law, services to investors and lenders, and other aspects of communications law.
He has worked with clients on numerous broadcast station transactions, served as lead counsel in FCC hearings and court appeals, and crafted strategies for competitive FCC applications.
At SWM, Schaffer worked with both commercial and noncommercial broadcasters and a variety of people and companies who need to deal with or understand the workings of the Commission. Over the years those have included some of the smallest college radio stations and some of the largest financial firms.
Operating from five strategic locations — Beijing, New York, Portland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. — Garvey Schubert Barer represents clients locally, nationally and internationally, with a special focus on the Pacific Rim, in addition to its Communications Law practice.
