Michael D. Nilsson is a partner with the law firm of Wiltshire & Grannis LLP. He advises and represents a variety of media and communications companies before the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Congress, the Library of Congress Copyright Office, and international regulatory bodies, as well as in a wide range of commercial negotiations.
Media, copyright, and carriage issues. Mr. Nilsson has particular expertise on legal issues associated with the carriage of video content over digital broadband networks, including copyright issues, communications law and regulation, and contractual matters associated with such carriage. He has, for example, twice represented the largest U.S. satellite television operator in connection with Congress's reauthorization of copyright and communications legislation, including successful negotiations with representatives of the broadcast television industry and the largest copyright owners. He has also provided expert testimony on behalf of this satellite operator before the United States Copyright Office concerning potential revisions to this legislation, and has spoken on numerous panels regarding copyright licensing of television programming. He routinely represents satellite and cable operators in negotiations for the rights to transmit television content, and has advised these clients with respect to the unique regulatory and contractual obligations arising from such transmissions. He has represented clients before the Federal Communications Commission in many of the largest media mergers in recent years, and represents clients in the full range of rulemakings affecting the media sector - including mandatory carriage of broadcast networks, retransmission consent, equipment regulation, indecency regulation, the program access and program carriage rules, ownership issues, and the like. He has also advised several Caribbean cable operators on copyright and merger-related issues.
Communications licensing and regulation. More generally, Mr. Nilsson advises satellite, cable, and telecommunications companies with respect to the licensing, deployment, and regulation of their systems, including "Ka-band" satellite systems, cable systems and associated customer premises equipment, and terrestrial and undersea fiber optic networks. He has also represented and advised a variety of clients in connection with other communications issues - including the regulation of licensed and unlicensed wireless networks, auctions, universal service reform, consumer equipment mandates, and the Federal Communications Commission's regulatory fees.
From 2001 to 2002, Mr. Nilsson served as Legislative Assistant and Counsel, and principal telecommunications and technology adviser, to Senator John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia. There, he advised the Senator on issues such as broadband deployment, universal service, spectrum auctions, satellite mergers, Internet privacy, digital copyright, and homeland security.
Mr. Nilsson has engaged in a number of pro bono representations, and serves as outside pro bono counsel to the French Bulldog Rescue Network.
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Education
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., magna cum laude University of California, Berkeley, B.A., with high honors
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