Wiley Rein LLP

Wiley Rein LLP
Name	Wiley Rein LLP
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Founded	1983
Founders	Wiley Rein LLP
Attorneys	approx. 300
Practice areas	Communications, Administrative, Litigation, Regulatory, Intellectual Property

Wiley Rein LLP Wiley Rein LLP is a United States law firm based in Washington, D.C. with national and international practices spanning communications, litigation, regulatory, and intellectual property matters. The firm represents clients across sectors including telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare, and defense, engaging with institutions such as the Federal Communications Commission, the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and foreign ministries. Founded in the 20th century legal milieu of post-Reagan Administration regulatory reform and the deregulatory environment that followed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the firm has participated in major matters before the United States Supreme Court, federal appellate courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and international tribunals.

History

The firm traces origins to practitioners who worked on regulatory and administrative law during the era of the Federal Communications Commission's restructuring and the aftermath of the Airline Deregulation Act. Early advisors had backgrounds connected to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Senate Commerce Committee. Throughout the 1990s, the firm expanded alongside developments like the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, and the rise of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. In the 2000s, litigation tied to the Sarbanes–Oxley Act and regulatory responses to the Enron scandal shaped practice growth, while international arbitration and trade matters engaged institutions such as the World Trade Organization and the International Chamber of Commerce. The firm navigated issues arising from the Affordable Care Act and the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, representing clients in disputes before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and appellate courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Practice areas

Wiley Rein's practice areas encompass communications law involving the Federal Communications Commission, cybersecurity and privacy matters related to the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, and intellectual property disputes before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The firm also advises on administrative litigation under statutes like the Administrative Procedure Act and antitrust matters under the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Clayton Antitrust Act before the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission. Energy and environmental practices engage with the Environmental Protection Agency and regulatory issues tied to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, while government contracts work involves the Defense Contract Management Agency and the General Services Administration. The firm’s communications practice handles franchise, broadcasting, and satellite matters related to entities such as the National Association of Broadcasters and the International Telecommunication Union.

Notable cases and clients

Wiley Rein has represented clients in high-profile matters before the United States Supreme Court, the D.C. Circuit, and the Third Circuit. Clients have included corporations from the Fortune 500 in sectors such as telecommunications (major carriers and cable operators), technology firms involved with Google, Apple Inc., and Microsoft, and defense contractors linked to the Department of Defense. The firm has acted for trade associations including the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, financial services entities affected by Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement, and healthcare organizations navigating Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regulations. Notable involvements include disputes implicating the Communications Decency Act and advocacy before the Federal Communications Commission on net neutrality and spectrum allocation tied to auctions overseen by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

Firm structure and leadership

Wiley Rein is organized as a limited liability partnership with practice group heads overseeing sectors such as communications, litigation, regulatory, and intellectual property. Leadership roles have included chairs and managing partners with prior service in institutions like the United States Department of Justice, the White House Counsel's Office, and Congressional committees including the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senior attorneys often have clerkships on federal courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and professional affiliations with organizations like the American Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar.

Offices and geographic presence

The firm’s principal office is in Washington, D.C., with additional offices serving clients in major markets and international hubs. These locations facilitate representation before tribunals such as the International Chamber of Commerce and regulatory bodies including the Federal Trade Commission. The firm’s geographic reach connects it to business centers like New York City, legal marketplaces such as Los Angeles, technology corridors including San Francisco, and government centers like Arlington County, Virginia and Alexandria, Virginia.

Rankings and awards

Wiley Rein attorneys and practice groups have received recognition from legal publications and ranking organizations such as Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Best Lawyers. Individual lawyers have been listed in rankings by Super Lawyers, included in honors from bar associations like the District of Columbia Bar, and have been named in industry lists by trade publications covering telecommunications and technology sectors. The firm’s regulatory and communications practices have earned practice-level accolades from organizations tracking law firm performance before the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies.

Category:Law firms based in Washington, D.C.