Gerard Lavery Lederer’s unique background as a nationally recognized telecommunications, cable and small cell lawyer combined with his experiences as a registered federal lobbyist provides clients unparalleled service in seeking both legislative and transactional solutions. Prior to joining Best Best & Krieger LLP as a partner in the Municipal Law practice group in Washington, D.C., Gerry was an attorney with Miller & Van Eaton, a highly regarded local government rights of way law firm.

Gerry advocates for public and private property owners regarding issues of law and policy arising from federal and state communications legislation and regulation. He is also one of the nation’s leading authorities on marketplace solutions for the seamless integration of cable and wireless technology into communities. He authored “Critical Connections” and “Wired for Profit,” two leading guides on the integration of telecommunications technology into the built environment. He developed the first model license agreements for access to buildings and rooftops to promote cooperative relations between telecommunications service providers and property owners, while protecting both parties’ interests.

Gerry serves as legislative counsel and lead Washington advocate for TeleCommUnity, a collection of local governments dedicated to ensuring respect for local rights in federal legislative and regulatory activity.

Since arriving in Washington, D.C. in 1985 as the City of Philadelphia’s Washington advocate, Gerry has served as Washington legislative counsel to a number of local governments and agencies, including as lead advocate for local governments on infrastructure issues and as general counsel of the United States Conference of Mayors. He has also served as executive director of advocacy and research advancement for the Building Owners and Managers Association, International and executive director of government affairs for the United States Telephone Association. Prior to his career in Washington, he served as the chief deputy city commissioner for the City of Philadelphia. This position oversees the city’s voter registration and election day. He is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association.

Gerry is admitted to practice law in the State of New Jersey and the District of Columbia, and is an inactive member of the bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Gail A. Karish is a partner at Best Best & Krieger LLP who focuses on telecommunications, assisting clients in California and across the country with a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters involving broadband and fiber networks, cable and telecom franchising, wireless communications and public-private partnerships.

Gail’s clients are mainly public agencies, such as local governments, water districts and municipal utilities. Public agencies can serve a variety of roles in relation to telecommunications infrastructure – regulator, owner, service provider, customer, partner – and Gail’s clients come to her for advice and guidance on issues that arise in all these contexts. She also represents some cooperatives, nonprofits and small competitive providers.

Prior to her private practice, Gail worked in-house at a Miami-based long distance telecommunications carrier that was a subsidiary of Entel-Chile, where she was responsible for state and federal licensing and regulatory compliance matters, and corporate and commercial contracts associated with the company’s launch of retail and wholesale telecommunications and Internet services serving the U.S. Hispanic market.

Gail started her legal career in infrastructure in Canada at Ontario Hydro, a large government-owned electric utility where she initially represented the utility at environmental and rate tribunals. She then assisted the utility’s international division to develop and implement an investment strategy, focused on privatization opportunities in Latin America, and was instrumental in the company’s 1994 acquisition and management of a Peruvian electric utility.

Gail speaks frequently to organizations on telecommunications topics, including the International Municipal Lawyers Association, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, and its regional chapters such as SCAN-NATOA, WATOA, SEATOA, the League of California Cities and the Alliance for Community Media. She was licensed but is now inactive in the Province of Ontario, Canada.