Partner at Wiley Rein LLP
Claire litigates complex trial and appellate matters before federal and state courts, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and state regulatory commissions, with particular emphasis on infrastructure and joint use disputes and challenges of agency action.
Wiley Rein LLP
Washington, District of Columbia
Supreme Court of the United States
(appointed)District of Columbia
Served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Clarence Thomas, Researching and drafting opinions, orders, and bench memoranda.
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
(appointed)District of Columbia
Served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable David B. Sentelle, Researching and drafting opinions, orders, and bench memoranda.
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Criminal Division, Criminal Appellate Section
(appointed)District of Columbia
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Solicitor General
(appointed)District of Columbia
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the General Counsel
(appointed)District of Columbia
Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
(appointed)
Served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Michael Chertoff, Researching and drafting opinions, orders, and bench memoranda.
U.S. District Court
(appointed)New Jersey, District of
Served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Jerome B. Simandle, Researching and drafting opinions, orders, and bench memoranda.
May 2025
Represents telecommunications companies in complex litigation and regulatory proceedings involving rate-setting disputes, the deployment of broadband infrastructure, wireless facility siting, joint use, and pole attachment issues. Litigates jurisdictional, constitutional, election law, intellectual property, and administrative law issues in trial and appellate courts. Counsels telecommunications companies on the scope of their federal rights and develops litigation strategies under the Communications Act and other applicable laws. Represents clients in agency rulemakings, investigations, and enforcement proceedings, including FCC Pole Attachment Complaint proceedings and FTC Civil Investigative Demands. Files amicus and merits briefs in the U.S. Courts of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States. Representative matters include: Joint use and rate disputes before state and federal courts, the FCC, and state regulatory commissions, including FCC Pole Attachment Complaint proceedings. Wireless siting disputes, including Sprint Spectrum et al. v. Zoning Board of Adjustment of Paramus, No. 14-2954 (3d Cir.). Appeals of agency action, including Ameren Corp. et al. v. FCC, No. 16-1683 (8th Cir.), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. FEC, No. 14-1419 (D.D.C.), and Power Integrations, Inc. v. Kappos, No. 11-1254 (D.D.C.). File comments and pleadings in rulemakings and adjudications at federal agencies, including the FCC, FEC, and FTC. Constitutional cases, including Coors Brewing Company v. Mendez-Torres, No. 11-1559 (1st Cir.) and Software & Information Industry Association v. Solers, Inc., No. 10-1523 (D.C. App. Ct.). Patent litigation, including Porto Technology Co. v. Cellco Partnership, No. 12-678 (E.D. Va.), RSA Security LLC v. Zions Management Services Company, No. 12-11975 (D. Mass.), Callaway Golf Company v. Kappos, No. 11-266 (E.D. Va.), and pharmaceutical litigation involving aripiprazole (Abilify®), cyclobenzaprine HCl (Amrix®), and fenofibrate (Antara®). Copyright royalty fee litigation before the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) rate court to set license fees for the public performance of musical works in wireless communications products and services.
The Legal 500 US
January 2024
Recognized in The Legal 500 US as a "Recommended Lawyer" in Appellate: Court of Appeals (2017-2024) and Telecom and Broadcast: Regulatory (2014-2018, 2020-2024)
Law360
January 2024
Named to Law360's Appellate Editorial Advisory Board (2022-2024)
Wiley.law
August 2020
On August 12, 2020, in a major victory for the telecommunications industry, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision in City of Portland v. United States. In the much-anticipated ruling, the court upheld two orders that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopted in 2018 to streamline deployment and reduce costs of telecommunications infrastructure and facilitate the provision of fifth generation wireless (5G) and broadband services. The orders at issue applied prior FCC interpretations of preemptive provisions in the Communications Act to limit local barriers to small wireless facility (small cell) siting in a number of areas including fees, aesthetics, and application processing timeframes, and separately, took further action to speed deployment on utility poles and eliminate artificially high pole attachment rates that persist despite prior Commission orders.
Wiley.law
December 2016
On December 22, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC or Commission) Wireless Telecommunications Bureau released a Public Notice that invites interested parties to submit data showing whether and to what extent local siting processes are delaying or hindering the deployment of wireless infrastructure and requests input about actions that the FCC could take to streamline and expedite the process.
BNA’s Communications Environmental & Land Use Law Report, Vol. 2013, No. 5
May 2013
Co-author
EUCI Conference — Newport Beach, CA
February 2019
Speaker
EUCI Conference — Anaheim, CA
January 2018
Speaker
EUCI Course — Nashville, TN
May 2018
Speaker
EUCI Course — Atlanta, GA
May 2017
Speaker