Russ Blau practices telecommunications law and related fields, including litigation, regulatory, transactional and legislative. His clients include telecommunications carriers, equipment vendors, customers and other service providers.

He argues on their behalf before U.S. Courts of Appeals and District Courts, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), state courts and regulatory commissions. Russ has extensive experience in telecommunications arbitration and formal complaint cases.

Russ has successfully represented telecommunications carriers in arbitration proceedings under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, as well as formal complaint proceedings before the FCC. In appellate proceedings, he has obtained key rulings on carrier interconnection rights [Southwestern Bell Tel. Co. v. Waller Creek Communications, Inc., 221 F.2d 812 (5th Cir. 2000)], and on the applicability of interconnection contract terms to Internet access traffic [Starpower Communications, LLC v. FCC, 334 F.3d 1150 (D.C. Cir. 2003)].

In addition, Russ is extensively involved in regulatory policy issues relating to telecommunications and information services competition before the FCC and state utility commissions. He represents competitive telecommunications carriers in key FCC proceedings implementing the Telecommunications Act of 1996. He led the fight for expanded interconnection rights for competitive telecommunications carriers, which has been widely recognized as the first step along the road to local telephone competition. [In re Expanded Interconnection with Local Telephone Company Facilities, CC Docket No. 91-141, Report and Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 7 FCC Rcd. 7369 (1992)]. Recently, Russ has taken a leading role in regulatory battles over FCC forbearance policies and the status of Voice over Internet Protocol services.

Russ also advises clients on federal and state regulatory issues, including those arising in securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions and other corporate transactions. He advises and represents clients on Internet issues, including drafting of peering and transit agreements, FCC proceedings involving reciprocal compensation and access charges, and issues relating to domain name assignments and Internet governance.