Mr. Marashlian is the Managing Partner of Marashlian & Donahue, LLC, The CommLaw Group. He is also the founder and CEO of The Commpliance Group, the firm’s affiliated regulatory compliance and consulting services firm. Mr. Marashlian is a nationally-recognized expert in the areas of communications taxes, regulatory fees, regulatory litigation, audits and defense. Mr. Marashlian also counsels regulated communications enterprises with respect to customer privacy and data security issues, licensing, mergers & acquisitions and commercial transactions.

Mr. Marashlian boasts a vibrant and diverse telecom law practice serving U.S. and international clients operating in every sector of the communications industry, including traditional domestic and international telecommunications, wireless, “Cloud Communications,” VoIP, SaaS, UCaaS, broadband (fixed & wireless), Internet of Things (“IoT”) and other advanced communications service providers. He is responsible for managing a team of highly-skilled professionals and guiding the firm’s clientele through the rapidly evolving and byzantine maze of state, federal and international communications laws, regulations and policies.

Mr. Marashlian has comprehensively advised several Fortune 500 companies on regulatory issues and assisted with their entry into the telecom marketplace, thereafter managing all aspects of post-entry regulatory and tax compliance through The Commpliance Group and its Cloud Commpliance Solution.

In 2005, anticipating the seismic shift in the market for effective, yet affordable legal services, Mr. Marashlian set out to engineer a one-of-a-kind, “Full Spectrum” professional services business model tailored to serve the needs of the dynamic and hyper-competitive telecom industry. The revolutionary processes developed by and deployed at Mr. Marashlian’s firms offer clients value-driven, high-quality professional services that deliver business-savvy solutions for reasonable, project appropriate costs; all provided with the customer-friendly approach that has become the firms’ hallmark characteristic.

The CommLaw Group is a full service Washington, D.C.-area law firm serving the comprehensive legal needs of the communications industry. Experienced in all aspects of federal and state telecommunications law and regulation, we represent businesses engaged in the dynamic communications and information technologies industry with virtually all legal needs. No matter the scope of our representation, we are committed to offering our clients personal attention and efficient, professional representation. While always keeping your objectives in mind, we maintain our clients’ trust and confidence through open and direct communication and valuable, responsive and cost-effective performance.

Unique among its peers, The CommLaw Group offers clients a scope of capabilities rarely found in boutique law firms. With a headcount rivaling the Telecom Practice Groups of most major law firms, Mr. Marashlian’s firm boasts a team of attorneys, paraprofessionals and consultants possessing the skills, focus and resources necessary to serve the communications law needs of Fortune 100 companies, all without sacrificing the range of services and affordability which makes us the “go to” firm for new entrants and service providers of all sizes.  An AV Preeminent Rated attorney, Mr. Marashlian is the winner of three consecutive Lexology /International Law Office (“ILO”) Client Choice Awards, named overall winner in the Telecommunications Law-U.S. category; Mr. Marashlian also received SmartCEO’s Executive Management Award, an honor bestowed upon C-Suite leaders who uphold the highest ethics, lead collaboratively and creatively, and enhance and support the organization’s mission. For three years in a row, Mr. Marashlian’s firm was named “Leading Customer Service Law Firm of the Year in the U.S.” by ACQ Global Awards; The CommLaw Group was also named “Best Communications Law Firm of the Year in the U.S.” by ACQ LawAwards.

Mr. Marashlian earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond and his law degree from the George Mason University School of Law.

Representative Experience

• Represent competitive telecommunications, enhanced services, interconnected Voice over IP (VoIP), non-Interconnected VoIP, Cloud communications and Software as a Service (SaaS) providers in all matters before the FCC, USAC and state regulatory agencies across the nation;
• Counsel clients on regulatory requirements and compliance obligations arising under the federal Telecommunications Act, FCC Regulations and State Public Utility Commission rules and policies;
• Regularly engage in regulatory litigation and mediation before the FCC and state agencies regarding commercial disputes, regulatory compliance, competitive harms, marketing practices and more;
• Participate in Rulemaking, Declaratory Ruling and other policy proceedings and engage in lobbying and policy/client advocacy before the FCC;
• Obtain FCC and state authorizations for local, long distance, international, operator and prepaid telecom services; drafting, preparing, filing and maintaining telecommunications tariffs; advising clients on state and federal regulatory developments; cultivating close working relationships with FCC and state commission staff to aid client interests;
• Manage the prosecution of routine and complex regulatory filings associated with the full panoply of corporate transactions, including: transfers of control and assignments of authorization, FCC 214 discontinuances, and asset and customer base transfers;
• Spectrum license assignment, partitioning, and transfers of control applications utilizing Universal Licensing System;
• Expert in state and federal rules regarding slamming, cramming and telemarketing;
• Negotiate settlements of carrier contractual and billing disputes, including FCC mediations;
• Lead regulatory counsel to facilities-based IXC, Touch America, Inc. (“TA”); represented TA during its acquisition of the in-region long distance assets of Qwest Communications International, Inc. (“Qwest”) and subsequent corporate re-organization and divestiture of The Montana Power Company; prosecuted two formal FCC Complaints against Qwest; assisted FCC’s Investigations & Hearings Division in its informal investigation of Qwest (File No. EB-02-IH0674), which at the time resulted in the single, largest FCC fine ever issued;
• Represented regional ISP association, Federation of Internet Service Providers of America (FISPA), against BellSouth and Verizon de-regulation of telecommunications component of wireline broadband;
• Regulatory counsel to Nortel Networks and guide roll-out of Enterprise Division’s Hosted Solutions

Specialties: FCC and State (PUC/Secy. of State) regulatory, transactional, tax, litigation and advocacy;communications taxes & VoIP taxation issues; regulatory fees & tax planning; wireline & wireless transfers/assignments of control; licensing & tariffing; customer base/asset sales; regulatory reporting & compliance, contract drafting & negotiation; dispute resolution; FCC advocacy and representation in administrative proceedings, including rulemakings, declaratory petitions, and enforcement proceedings.