Pai Names Degani Acting General Counsel

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai today named Nicholas Degani as the agency’s acting general counsel. Degani will serve in the role on an interim basis following Jennifer Tatel’s departure from the agency.

“I’m pleased that Nick has agreed to take on this temporary role as acting general counsel. Nick is a tremendous asset to the agency and his knowledge and experience will be critical in this position,” said Pai. “I would also like to thank Jennifer for her excellent work and for agreeing to delay her departure date from the FCC so that there could be a smooth transition following Brendan Carr’s confirmation as commissioner. I wish her all the best moving forward.”

Degani joined the commission in 2007 through the Attorney Honors Program. During his decade at the FCC, he has served as senior counsel to Pai and wireline legal adviser to then-Commissioner Pai; been detailed to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce; and worked in the Wireline Competition Bureau and the Office of General Counsel.

Earlier in his career, Degani clerked for Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School and magna cum laude from Yale University, where he studied electrical engineering/computer science and history.

The Office of General Counsel serves as the chief legal adviser to the commission and its various bureaus and offices. The Office of General Counsel also represents the commission in litigation, recommends decisions in adjudicatory matters before the commission, assists the commission in its decision-making capacity, and performs a variety of legal functions regarding internal and other administrative matters.