WilmerHale announced today that John A. Rogovin has joined the firm as a partner in its Washington, DC office, practicing in its Communications and E-commerce and Litigation Departments. He brings with him nearly 20 years of experience in private practice and with the federal government, most recently as General Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Mr. Rogovin was appointed General Counsel of the FCC in February 2003, after previously serving as Deputy General Counsel. As General Counsel, Mr. Rogovin acted as the principal legal advisor to the Chairman and Commissioners, providing advice on a wide range of telecommunications and related matters. He played a vital role in policy development and represented the Commission in court on many important litigation matters, including Brand X v. FCC (cable modem), Prometheus v. FCC (media ownership), and cases involving local telephone competition. Mr. Rogovin also was the FCC’s lead negotiator in the $4 billion settlement of Next Wave v. FCC (PCS licenses in bankruptcy).

Before his service at the FCC, Mr. Rogovin was at the US Department of Justice from 1993 to 1996 and then was a litigation Partner and Communications Department chair at O’Melveny & Myers LLP. At the Department of Justice, Mr. Rogovin was initially Assistant to the Attorney General and then became the Deputy Assistant Attorney General supervising the Federal Programs Branch, which defends the US in lawsuits challenging the constitutionality or legality of governmental policies, programs and actions.

In announcing Mr. Rogovin’s departure from the FCC, Chairman Michael Powell, said, “The Commission is losing an extraordinary asset. John always provided sound and principled legal advice on whatever matter we faced. I will miss his calm and wise counsel.”

In welcoming Mr. Rogovin to WilmerHale, William J. Perlstein, co-managing partner, said, “John’s depth of knowledge in the communications industry and his range of experience as a litigator will make him an extremely valuable asset to the firm's outstanding communications and litigation practices. It is an honor to have him as our partner and we anticipate that he will play a major role in continuing to shape the most important rules governing all aspects of the telecommunications industry.”

Mr. Rogovin earned his AB from Columbia University and his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was the articles editor of he Virginia Journal of International Law. He clerked for the Honorable Laurence H. Silberman in the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. Mr. Rogovin is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and New York.