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Francis M. Buono is a partner in the Communications, Media & Privacy Department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Washington, D.C. His principal areas of focus include: (1) Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations governing cable TV service/equipment and video relay services (VRS); (2) data privacy regulations and compliance; and (3) intellectual property issues regarding technical standards. Mr. Buono has represented cable operators, equipment manufacturers, video programmers, and software companies in major FCC rulemakings over the last 16 years, as well as in administrative adjudications regarding the FCC’s program access, program carriage, navigation device, effective competition, and must-carry rules. Mr. Buono also participated at every level in the cable industry’s efforts to help shape the deregulatory telecommunications legislation that ultimately became the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Mr. Buono develops policies and compliance plans for clients regarding data privacy laws in the U.S. and abroad, including how best to respond to breaches of customer data. Mr. Buono counsels various clients on intellectual property (IP) issues raised by their participation in national and international technical standards-setting organizations (such as IEEE, IETF, ISO, ITU, OASIS, and W3C), and negotiates acceptable IP policies and licensing agreements with these organizations and their members in order to minimize clients’ IP risks. Mr. Buono is an expert on the FCC’s rules governing the provision of video relay services (VRS) to the hearing-impaired community, and has helped clients obtain significant changes to these rules that have improved their business operations. Mr. Buono also manages a team of attorneys assisting clients to secure telecommunications and related licenses in numerous countries throughout the world, and to negotiate contracts for the carriage of video programming on cable TV and other delivery systems. Selected Professional and Business Activities
Mr. Buono is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association ("FCBA") and served as the co-Chairman of the FCBA’s Cable Practice Committee from 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. He has authored numerous articles on communications, intellectual property, and Internet law.Mr. Buono is also a member of the President’s Council of the Higher Achievement Program, a non-profit organization providing educational services to underprivileged youth in the D.C. area. Prior Experience
Mr. Buono was a computer consultant for Georgetown University while attending the Georgetown Law evening program.Selected Publications and Lectures
Education
1992, Georgetown University Law Center, J.D.1987, Georgetown University, B.A. Bar Admissions
District of Columbia, 1993Virginia, 1992 |
Communications, Media & Privacy Intellectual Property
District of Columbia, 1993 Virginia, 1992 |