Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth PLC, a prominent broadcast law firm that is almost as old as the FCC, is in the process of closing.
Co-managing Directors Frank Montero and Kathleen Victory plan to retire at year’s end.
The firm, based in Arlington, Va., is well-known in media, tech and telecom law circles.
Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth was founded in the mid-1930s, shortly after the FCC itself was formed; its original broadcast lawyers included the FCC’s first general counsel and Eugene O. Sykes, the FCC’s first chairman.
Radio World has confirmed that former firm partners Seth Williams and Adam Sandler have moved to Scale LLP, which has a governmental affairs division.
According to its website, FHH has clients in every state, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as in several other countries.
At one time the firm served as counsel to more than 1,500 AM, FM and TV stations as well as phone companies, telecom equipment suppliers, tech startups, private and common-carrier fixed and mobile radio spectrum users and cable TV systems.
It has also worked with satcom service providers, scientific organizations, associations, universities and state and local governments.
Its CommLawBlog was often a valuable resource tool for broadcasters trying to keep up with the complexities of FCC regulations.
Frank Montero has been a public figure in the broadcast landscape for many years, beyond his work at FHH.
He was director of the FCC’s Office of Communications Business Opportunities during the Clinton administration. He also is known as an advocate for Hispanic and Spanish-language media; he helped form organizations including American Hispanic Owned Radio Association, the Spanish Broadcasters Association and the National Association of Minority Media Executives.
“The end of Fletcher Heald’s nearly century-long affiliation with the broadcasting industry marks the end of an era,” he told Radio World.
