Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP is a full-service law firm that offers clients the national reach and sophisticated experience of a large firm and the local connections and value of a boutique firm. With specialties including telecommunications, the firm can offer clients a macro view of the law with a micro focus on their unique needs. The firm’s mission is to achieve successful outcomes for clients through vigorous representation, creative advocacy, and high-quality client service.
How does Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr serve the telecommunications space? The firm has worked with land use and zoning approvals in the real estate sector for over 25 years. They also work on behalf of both large and small carriers and tower companies in the telecom industry.
“Often our focus is against local county jurisdictions that violate federal and state laws,” said Gregory E. Rapisarda, Partner. “Sometimes the threat of litigation – showing a municipality the case that we can bring against them – is enough to prevent a lawsuit.”
Rapisarda works with a core group of attorneys — where teamwork is a cornerstone — that are passionate and prudent advocates whose legal counsel helps clients define and advance their business and real estate development goals. The attorneys at the firm are personally invested in client success and go beyond the traditional role of ‘lawyer’ to learn their clients’ businesses, industries, and overall goals.
“I love all the aspects of infrastructure development – from community meetings to making presentations to judges, to the board of appeals,” said Rapisarda. “There’s an academic side (the law), but then there’s the people side (meeting with neighbors) where the goal is to gain their support.”
Rapisarda’s clients rely on his expertise for day-to-day general counsel and specific real estate and dispute-resolution needs. Clients who need land use and zoning advice or approvals lean on his guidance and knowledge, which stem in part from his experience handling development projects in more than 35 jurisdictions throughout Maryland and Virginia.
“My niche is knowing the rules of the jurisdictions from Maryland to D.C. where telecom matters are concerned, but I have colleagues all over the country who know their local and regional rules intimately as well,” said Rapisarda. “There are barriers to getting approvals when it comes to infrastructure, and we’re here to handle cases where substantial community opposition exists.”
The attorneys at the firm who specialize in telecom litigation have knowledge of federal, state, and local laws for macro sites as well as small cell infrastructure. They focus on litigation involving real estate or telecom leases, or lease rights against local counties or municipalities for violations of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.
In addition to their telecom knowledge base, attorneys at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr focus on three core values to create strong working relationships and personal connections with clients:
- Commitment to Client Service. The firm puts its clients first, including maintaining regular communications — including face-to-face meetings and same day responses — evolving to meet their changing expectations and adopting technology that helps with efficient and effective collaboration.
- Industry Focus. The firm has developed a deep understanding of the challenges their clients face in their industries and can shape legal strategies that reflect their business goals and needs.
- Collaborative Culture. The attorneys at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr understand their firm is bigger than any one individual. Their attorneys work together to serve the needs of clients and the communities where they work and live.
“We remain dedicated to maintaining open communication with clients to ensure we’re meeting their goals,” said Rapisarda. “We’ve even developed a Client Service Satisfaction program that utilizes client feedback so we can continuously improve our services. We only succeed as a firm when we are part of our clients’ success.”
With 16 offices across Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr serves businesses throughout the United States and internationally. For more information or to contact an attorney, visit https://www.saul.com/.
May 6, 2019
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