Pai Appoints Nirali Patel As Special Counsel

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on Thursday appointed Nirali Patel as special counsel. She joins the Office of the Chairman from the Office of Commissioner Brendan Carr, where she has been serving as a legal adviser since August 2017.

“I’m pleased that Nirali is joining my office as special counsel,” said Pai. “She has a wide range of expertise and experience in communications law and policy issues and will be an asset to my team.”

As a legal adviser to Carr, Patel advised on media, wireless, public safety, international, consumer protection, and enforcement matters. Prior to that, she was a deputy chief in the Competition Policy Division of the Wireline Competition Bureau.

Before joining the commission in January 2017, Patel was dounsel in the technology, media, and telecommunications practice of Hogan Lovells US.

Previously, she practiced communications law at Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Sidley Austin.

Patel graduated summa cum laude from the American University Washington College of Law and received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.