Bush Administration's Top Telecommunications Advisor Joins Perkins Coie

Denver, CO (February 18, 2006) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Michael D. Gallagher, the former Assistant Secretary of Commerce, and President Bush's principal advisor on telecommunications policy, has joined Perkins Coie as a Partner in the firm's Washington, D.C., office. Mr. Gallagher will chair the firm's Communications and Government Relations Group.

For the past four years, Mr. Gallagher has served as a leader at the Department of Commerce, most recently as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communication and Information and as the Director of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the U.S. Department of Commerce. In that role, he has been President George W. Bush's principal advisor on telecommunications policy and was responsible for the leadership and oversight of the 291-person agency. Mr. Gallagher set the policy course on a wide range of technology and telecommunications issues at Commerce, including: World-leading spectrum policy breakthroughs, from authorizing ultrawideband to bringing 90 MHz of prime spectrum to auction for new wireless broadband services; developing and implementing the Bush Administration's broadband policy; and, constructing the Administration's Internet Governance policy framework which gained international acceptance at the World Summit on the Information Society last fall.

Mr. Gallagher is a prominent public figure in the telecommunications and technology industries. In the past two years, he has had more than 120 public speaking engagements, including Congressional testimony, keynote addresses and panel presentations. Mr. Gallagher was a leading member of the Bush Administration's technology team and worked extensively with leaders across multiple agencies, such as the Department of Defense and Energy, and NASA, as well as White House and Congressional leadership.

"Michael is truly a leader in his field and we are thrilled to have him join the firm," said John Devaney, managing partner of Perkins Coie's Washington, D.C. office. "Michael's knowledge and insight into the world of telecommunications, spectrum and Internet policy will be extremely beneficial for many of our clients who are facing increasing technological, regulatory and litigation challenges."
Mr. Gallagher's decision to join Perkins Coie is, in a sense, a decision to return home. He began his legal career as an associate in the firm's Seattle office in 1989 before coming to Washington, D.C. to serve as the Administrative Assistant to Congressman Rick White, a former Perkins Coie partner. Mr. Gallagher later returned to the Seattle office, where he developed the firm's government relations practice. Having completed his term at the Department of Commerce just a few days ago, Mr. Gallagher is very excited to be returning to Perkins Coie for this next phase of his career.
"Perkins Coie is one of the most entrepreneurial and innovative firms in the country," said Michael Gallagher about his reason to re-join Perkins Coie. "The goal of the Perkins Coie Telecommunications and Government Relations practice group will be to creatively and effectively guide entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders through the intersection of innovation and public policy.

Stakeholders face significant market, technology, and financial risk. Perkins Coie will deliver clear results that will minimize risk in the public policy and regulatory arenas. We look forward to working with network providers to create an environment that supports robust investment, wireless companies to increase access to valuable spectrum, and application innovators to give them the freedom to innovate at Internet speed."

Perkins Coie's communications practice covers all aspects of the industry including early stage financing, mergers and acquisitions, technology and licensing, intellectual property development and licensing, antitrust counseling, litigation and policy. Known for its representation of leading technology and communications companies - from the earliest days of Amazon.com and McCaw Cellular to today's Internet standard bearers Google and Microsoft - and leading telecommunications companies like Qwest, Cingular, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile, Perkins Coie's communications group has been at the forefront of the communications law and policy for over a decade. The group has been on the cutting edge of new products and services, such as wireless communications, VoIP, location-based services, and search technology. In addition, the group's experience goes beyond U.S. borders with joint ventures being negotiated for deployment of services not only in foreign lands, but also aboard aircraft or afloat on the seas.

About Perkins Coie: Perkins Coie serves great companies with more than 600 attorneys in 14 offices across the United States and in China. The firm represents clients that range in size from FORTUNE 100 companies to startups and has historically represented market leaders in traditional and cutting-edge technology industries.
###