Paul F. Guarisco
Partner
Paul Guarisco practices in the areas of administrative law, business and finance, telecommunications, energy and utilities, and regulatory and governmental matters. He practices primarily before the Louisiana Public Service Commission, representing telecommunications and pipeline carriers, and electric, gas, sewer and water public utilities in all aspects of regulation, including certification, compliance, tariffs, litigation, hearings, audits, rate cases, rulemakings, dispute resolution/mediation, arbitration, mergers and acquisitions, changes of control and financing. He is a former staff attorney with the LPSC.
Paul has also represented telecommunications carriers before the FCC and was instrumental in developing, implementing and successfully defending the Louisiana State Universal Service Fund (see, Voicestream GSM I Operating Co., LLC v. LPSC, 943 So.2d 349 (La. 2006)). He drafted the original LPSC regulations implementing the 1996 Telecommunications Act, and has successfully petitioned the LPSC to update and amend the regulations many times since then. Paul is general counsel to the Louisiana Telecommunications Association. He has served as counsel to communications companies concerning all aspects of their operations, including broadband deployment, contract drafting and negotiation, municipal/parish franchise and right-of-way agreements, interconnection (cable, landline, wireless, IP and VoIP), Ethernet, pole attachment, agency, independent contractor, non-solicit and non-compete, and end-user agreements, regulatory compliance and litigation, including intercarrier compensation and billing disputes.
Experience
- Defended a competitive communications carrier as lead counsel concerning breach of contract and damages claims in multi-state litigation before public utility commissions in eight Southeastern States.
- Successfully represented telecommunications carriers before the LPSC in intercarrier billing and tariff disputes.
- Obtained numerous regulatory approvals, certifications and authorizations for carrier operations, sale and purchase transactions, financing, and LPSC-jurisdictional agreements.
- Testified before the Louisiana Senate Commerce Committee addressing bills affecting implementation of the Communications Act. Participated with an industry coalition in advocacy efforts before the Governor’s Administration successfully limiting federal broadband grants to governmental entities used to compete directly with private industry and carriers. Successfully lobbied the Louisiana US Congressional delegation on behalf of competitive telecom carriers to defeat passage of bills detrimental to competitive carriers.
- Successfully challenged the Louisiana State Office of Technology Management in a bid protest on behalf of an hosted-IP and VoIP provider.