Telecommunication and Media are the origin of our law firm: Fabian Schuster is working in the area of Telecommunications & IT since more than 20 years. In the beginning with Thyssen Telekom/ Thyssen Informatik, since 1998 in his own law firm. Since the partial liberalization of the Telecommunications market in 1996 he has represented numerous clients in procedures involving the German Regulatory Authority BNetzA and has led the correspondent lawsuits. Laura Kubach has during her time with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer supported several big transactions in the cable market and the area of Media and has rendered advice regarding questions referring to the regulation of the mobile telecommunication market. Together we have drafted, accompanied and negotiated hundreds of different agreements in the areas Telecommunication and Media. This is evidenced through numerous academic articles and several books and commentaries dealing with Telecommunication and E-Commerce Law: Some of these books are today considered standard works. Together with our Partner SBR-net Consulting AG.
We have supported many businesses and projects in the last 20 years, among those well-known companies as well as interesting start-ups. Therefore, we have a broad experience in this area. This applies, on the one hand, to the influence of telecommunications regulation on the activities of our clients and, on the other hand, to the recognition and implementation of significant elements and potential future problems (in particular with long lasting agreements, e.g. regarding the roll out of broadband networks). This is complemented through a broad litigation experience enforcing the rights of our clients in the area regulation (administrative courts) and contractual law (civil courts).
The drafting and negotiation of numerous contracts has been a long lasting part of our work. In the beginning (Mid to end nineties) the focus has been on Interconnection and Service Provider Contracts, later MVNO agreements. Today we are more concerned with contracts around the development of broadband and company networks (such as WAN and VPN) as well as contracts for platform operators and content provider. In the design of the contracts we are making use of our Know How in the areas of IT and data protection because these elements have gained importance in all kind of contracts.
Court procedures in the telecommunications area are no pleasure, in particular not with administrative courts. A lot of stamina is needed, since often only the Federal Administrative Court acknowledges and implements important parts of the German Telecommunications Act such as the competitive character. Again, such lawsuits are only a last resort, but more often indispensable that in IT. However, should lawsuits prove to be necessary we are conducting them forcefully and professionally.