NEWS 04/10/06: Attending IWCE? Come visit Michael and Delaney at the Sierra Technology booth, or check out the sessions Michael is moderating. 04/13/06: Michael will be attending NAB at the end of April (Vegas is fast becoming his second home!).
	Higgs Law Group: Professional Profiles Michael L. Higgs, Jr. is the founder of Higgs Law Group. Mr. Higgs is a graduate of the George Washington University School of Law, where his studies focused on administrative law and contract negotiation. Prior to matriculating to law school, he attended the University of Maryland where he graduated summa cum laude. Among his many undergraduate honors, Mr. Higgs was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key National Honor Societies. Mr. Higgs got his start in telecommunications working for RAM Mobile Data (now BellSouth Mobility). While attending law school, Mr. Higgs worked for Wilkinson, Barker, Knauer & Quinn, gaining valuable experience with the rules and policies of the Federal Communications Commission while performing work for some of the largest telecommunications carriers in the world. He later worked for a firm forwarding the merger between Bell Atlantic and NYNEX before the Department of Justice. Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Higgs worked for a telecommunications boutique in Washington, DC representing a variety of land mobile radio clients in diverse matters ranging from license applications to carrier disputes and FCC violations. His practice also included a substantial amount of work in the field of telecommunications towers, including negotiating site lease agreements, brokering the purchase and sale of towers, and various FCC tower enforcement issues. He served as the firm's sole point of contact for all mass media related issues, representing clients in AM and FM radio and broadcast television. While with this firm, he ascended to the position of Senior Associate, gaining particular expertise in the area of interconnection law, successfully negotiating numerous interconnection and settlement agreements with Local Exchange Carriers on behalf of CMRS clients. Mr. Higgs also personally represented SMR clients selling over $40,000,000 worth of telecommunications assets to a certain Fortune 500 company. In addition to his work in the telecommunication industry, Mr. Higgs has proven to be an excellent corporate attorney. He has represented several start-up businesses from concept to profitability, from drafting corporate documents and assisting with the preparation of business plans, to obtaining capital and marketing products and services. Mr. Higgs currently serves as General Counsel and Board Member of a company engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of wireless telecommunications equipment. Mr. Higgs has delivered speeches and sat on panels at the International Wireless Convention and Expo for several years running, and was a featured speaker at the annual conference of Small Business in Telecommunications for five years. Mr. Higgs has authored several articles, including a piece published in Mobile Radio Technology magazine. As an active member of the telecommunications industry, Mr. Higgs is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association and the Radio Club of America. Mr. Higgs is also a member of the Bars of the State of Maryland and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Delaney M. DiStefano received her B.A. from St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY and her J.D. from The George Washington University School of Law in Washington, D.C. During law school, Ms. DiStefano distinguished herself by obtaining an internship with the Assassination Records Review Board, which was charged with declassifying the JFK assassination files. After law school, Ms. DiStefano worked for a telecommunications boutique and served as the firm's primary FCC auction contact. Ms. DiStefano has participated in over eight FCC spectrum auctions on behalf of a variety of clients, preparing auction applications, devising bid strategies and performing on behalf of those clients in the auction. She also has extensive experience in formal complaint proceedings before the FCC representing both complainants and defendants. Ms. DiStefano has negotiated an extremely favorable settlement of a formal complaint against a Fortune 200 CMRS telecommunications provider. Ms. DiStefano is a highly skilled contract negotiator and drafter, having prepared contracts for such varied purposes as telecommunications tower and rooftop leases, radio system operating agreements, reseller agreements and ITFS build-out agreements. Ms. DiStefano has been published several times in "RF Design" magazine and has spoken on various issues, including FCC Auctions and FCC Enforcement, at the International Wireless Communications Expo in the last five years. In addition, Ms. DiStefano has spoken several times at Small Business in Telecommunications biannual conferences. Ms. DiStefano is a proud member of the New York State Bar and District of Columbia Bar. She is also a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association and the Radio Club of America.