Michael Athay specializes in telecommunications and information technology law.  He joined Bradley Werner, LLC in February 2018 after more than 20 years practice in the City of Philadelphia Law Department, where he was Chief Deputy City Solicitor leading the Department’s 17 attorney Commercial Law Unit. Michael established and supervised the Law Department’s telecommunications and information technology practices. He is experienced in drafting and negotiating cable franchise agreements, representing the City of Philadelphia in 2015 and earlier renewal negotiations with Comcast, and Philadelphia’s 2009 negotiations with Verizon for its FiOS competitive cable franchise.  As the City’s cable lawyer, Michael led the City’s multi-year program of reviewing and verifying the progress and final completion of Verizon’s seven-year citywide system deployment, culminating in his negotiation of a settlement with Verizon to cure non-compliances asserted by the City.  He also led negotiations with Comcast to resolve non-compliances found by the City under the plant remediation program the 2015 franchise required Comcast to complete citywide in order to correct code violations and bring its plant up to franchise standards. He represented the City in all aspects of franchise administration under Comcast’s multiple renewal franchises with the City as well as Verizon’s 2009 franchise.

Michael’s telecommunications practice includes experience in developing and negotiating contracts for network services, including the agreement for managed network services under the Comcast franchise, multiple contracts and renewals with Verizon for managed network services, and contracts with Motorola for the 800 MHz public safety radio system, all of which he handled.  He is also experienced in structuring and negotiating agreements and licenses with wireless providers to construct and operate wireless facilities in the public rights-of-way and on municipally-owned property and street furniture.  He has represented the City of Philadelphia in multiple FCC rulemaking proceedings, including the recent wireless and wireline infrastructure proceedings, and has expertise in federal and FCC law governing wireless deployments.  He counselled the development and passage of the City’s first right-of-way management ordinance, and is experienced in ROW management issues, ordinance drafting, and the legislative process necessary for approval by the local city council.

Michael is licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.