Joel R. Dichter
Background:
For over 20 years, Joel's expertise has focused on developing issues in the areas of communications, energy, and promotional marketing and, in recent years, internet, wireless and new media law.
Joel's career commenced with an assignment by the Office of the Governor of the State of Georgia to represent its citizens' interests in public utility rate proceedings and in the anti-trust litigation governing the break-up of AT&T. The break-up of AT&T combined with new federal and state legislation fostering competition opened the doors to creation of entirely new fields of business. The movement towards deregulation spread to the electric and natural gas industries.
Joel then moved to private practice to be at the forefront in assisting start-up companies to take advantage of these new opportunities, including competitive telecommunications services, mobile communications, natural gas transportation, water supply and electric generation. With the introduction of competition, clients begin to request assistance complying with trade practice laws governing their marketing practices. Joel's practice quickly expanded to counsel clients on Federal Trade Commission and state laws governing promotion of goods and services through traditional media, sweepstakes, websites, search engines, email, mobile services and other new media.
Practices:
He has served as general counsel or regulatory counsel to no less than a dozen trade association. On behalf of these groups, Joel has served as their voice in shaping regulation in their respective industries. He has filed comments and appeared before state and federal courts, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, International Telecommunications Union and state regulatory agencies. Joel has participated in a number of workshops and proceedings convened by agencies to develop telecom policies, energy reform, and trade practice rules for these burgeoning industries.
Presentations:
He is a frequent lecturer at trade shows in the United States and Europe as well as a speaker at conferences, including a Law Journal Conference on the Internet, a BMI conference on licensing music for wireless devices and World Telemedia conferences in Amsterdam and has contributed articles to Direct Marketing News, law journals and other publications.
Bar/Court Admissions:
-
Member of the Federal Communications Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- State of Georgia Bar Association
- Federal Energy Bar Association
- ABA Committee on Communications Law
Education:
A graduate of Emory University School of Law, Joel has developed an international practice and regularly appears before courts and agencies throughout the United States.