Mr. Marashlian has applied his extensive knowledge of the telecommunications and information & advanced communication technology industries to assist clients with regulatory compliance, transactional, litigation & regulatory defense matters before the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") and state regulatory agencies across the nation. Mr. Marashlian counsels clients in all aspects of state and federal regulatory matters as well as the impact regulation and operating in an incumbent dominated industry have on competitive businesses of all sizes, from start-ups to established providers.

Mr. Marashlian has extensive experience with a broad range of telecom issues – including long distance, competitive local exchange, international, IP-enabled service, Internet access, prepaid communications and wireless. He is well acquainted with the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the FCC's interpretation and implementation of the Act and the many legal issues and court battles that have arisen from the Act. Mr. Marashlian's expertise extends beyond traditional voice technologies and includes knowledge of convergent technologies, such as VoIP, xDSL, the myriad of IP-enabled services and technologies and other issues surrounding the Internet and high technology. In 1999, the Multimedia Telecommunications Association certified Mr. Marashlian as a Convergent Network Technologies Specialist.

As the Head of the firm's Regulatory Practice, Mr. Marashlian is responsible for coordinating and managing staff and attorneys and guiding the firm's clients through the maze of state and federal regulatory requirements, including the coordination, management and execution of regulatory filings associated with a full range of licensing, corporate and regulatory transactions, from the routine to the highly complex. Mr. Marashlian routinely represents regulated service providers before a variety of FCC Bureaus, state utility commissions and other regulatory agencies.

Some of Mr. Marashlian’s experiences include:

• Representcompetitivetelecommunications, enhanced services and interconnected Voice over IP providers before the FCC and state agencies;
• Counsel clients on federal and state regulatory requirements and compliance obligations;
• 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 pre-paid 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-IH-0674), resulting in single, largest FCC fine ever issued;
• Responsible for creation of firm’s Compliance & Reporting Service practice.

Mr. Marashlian is a strident advocate of competitive service providers and of competition in general. He frequently contributes articles to industry publications. Mr. Marashlian is also the Editor-in-Chief of The Helein Law Group's bi-monthly electronic newsletter, The Front Lines; providing the competitive industry with news, commentary and insight regarding regulatory and legal developments.

During law school, Mr. Marashlian joined the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association ("NTCA") and worked in its Legal and Industry Affairs Division. While at NTCA, he analyzed and interpreted Federal Communications Commission orders and court decisions affecting rural telcos and researched and prepared comments and other filings concerning the interpretation and implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Mr. Marashlian also worked in the Local Markets and Enforcement Group of MCI Communication Corp.'s ("MCI") Federal Law and Public Policy Division. During his tenure at MCI, Mr. Marashlian analyzed FCC decisions bearing on local competition, evaluated and responded to Section 253 preemption petitions, and assisted MCI's efforts to gain entry into the local exchange market.

Mr. Marashlian received his Bachelor of Arts degree and graduated cum laude from the University of Richmond, majoring in Political Science. Mr. Marashlian earned his Juris Doctor at the George Mason University School of Law where he completed specialized courses as part of the law school's Regulatory Track; focusing on the telecommunications and information technology industries.

Mr. Marashlian is published in the Federal Communications Law Journal and actively contributes articles to industry and trade publications, such as the Prepaid Press® and Phone+.  Mr. Marashlian is also frequently quoted as an industry expert.

• Co-Authored, “Detariffing and the Death of the Filed Tariff Doctrine: De-Regulation in the “Self” Interest,” Federal Communications Law Journal, Volume 54, March 2002
• Authored several articles for The Prepaid Press:
• “Hands off VoIP!,” August 2006
• “Net Neutrality: What is it and why should I care?,” June 2006
• “Year of the DAC,” December 2005
• “Are Wireless Providers Destined for State Regulation?,” June 2005
• “Misery Loves Company AT&T Calling Card Saga Continues,” May 2005
• “Cutting the Cord Wireless boom causing states to rethink “hands off” approach to wireless regulation,” March 2005
• “FCC Rules Against AT&T Order May Impact All Card Providers,” March 2005
• “FCC USF Enforcement – Is the sleeping lion about to wake?,” June 2004
• Co-Authored, “USTA v. FCC: A Decision Ripe for the Supremes,” published on www.ISP-Planet.com, 2004
• Co-Authored, “The Forgotten Quo,” Phone + Magazine, May 2004
• Authored Articles for Accelerate Telecom Magazine (“ATM”) ( www.acceleratemagazine.com)  “LD Gets Hammered,” Fall Quarterly 2001: “Uneven Playing Field,” Winter Quarterly 2001
• Authored,  “Preventing Re-Monopolization: A Call to Arms to Competitors” and “Telecom Re-Monopolization – Is it Too Late?,”  published on www.ISP-Planet.com and www.CLEC-Planet.com, 2001
• Co-Authored, “Operating in the Detariffed Environment: Are you Ready?,”  Phone + Magazine, August 2001

Mr. Marashlian has also been invited to speak at a variety of industry events:

• “Prepaid Industry Legal & Regulatory Update,” Speaker at NetworkIP 2007 Prepaid Leadership Summit (September 2007);
• Sonus Networks Technical Leadership Forum 2007, Moderator of Panel Session on Today's Regulatory Environment & Net Neutrality;
• “Prepaid Industry Legal & Regulatory Update: The Times, They are a Changin’,” Speaker at NetworkIP 2007 Prepaid Leadership Summit (April 2007);
• “Universal Service Fund: What is the End Game?,” Speaker at NetworkIP 2006 Prepaid Leadership Summit (September 2006);
• “USF:  Past, Present & Future,” Speaker before National Telecommunications Credit Association (Nov. 2003)

Mr. Marashlian is licensed to practice in the state of Maryland and has been an active member of the Federal Communications Bar Association since 1997.