FCC Names New Deputy General Counsel

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced Friday the appointment of Sean Lev as deputy general counsel. Lev will also serve as special adviser to the chairman on matters concerning the policy implications of the transition to Internet protocol networks.

Genachowski said in a statement: “Through its work to harness the opportunity of broadband for all Americans, the FCC’s staff is its most valuable asset. I’m delighted that Sean will be joining us. He will provide valuable counsel to the agency, drawing on his outstanding legal and leadership skills and deep expertise in telecommunications issues.”

Lev comes to the FCC from the Department of Energy, where he was the acting general counsel and the deputy general counsel for environment and nuclear programs. He has also been lead counsel in many cases involving administrative law before federal and state appellate and trial courts.

Before joining DOE in June 2009, Lev was a partner at Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel, where his practice focused on telecommunications, administrative law, and appellate and general litigation.

Lev was also an attorney on the appellate staff in the Civil Division at the United States Department of Justice, where he represented a large number of federal agencies.

Prior to his service at DOJ, Lev clerked for the Honorable Patricia M. Wald of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Lev graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was a supervising editor of the Harvard Law Review. He is also a magna cum laude graduate of Williams College, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.