Tara M. Corvo
Member / Chair, Technology, Communications & Media Practice
+1.202.434.7359
Tara is Chair of the firm's Technology, Communications & Media (TechComm) Section. In her over 25 years in private practice, she has developed extensive experience representing cable, broadband, and content providers, with a particular focus on the intersection of legislation and regulatory policy. Tara draws on extensive experience with legislative, transactional, and regulatory matters to counsel clients, including on transfer of control issues in the purchase and sale of systems, on ownership and approval issues in communications transactions, and in disputes and enforcement proceedings before the Federal Communications Commission and the courts. And she is highly versed in significant communications regulatory issues, including net neutrality, broadband deployment, OVD competition issues, accessibility, and broadcaster and program carriage issues.
In addition to her legal practice, Tara serves the firm in several leadership roles. She is a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee and Recommendations Committee. She also serves the firm as Co-chair for Professional Development.
Education
- Duke University (JD, with high honors)
- Cornell University (BA, Government and Modern European Studies)
Experience
Cable & Telecom Transactions
- Represented TPG Capital in its $1.8 billion acquisition of a 30% interest in DIRECTV.
- Represented TPG Global in its $2.365 billion acquisition of Wave Broadband.
- Represented TPG Global in its acquisition of RCN Telecom Services, LLC and Grande Communications Networks, LLC.
- Represented Cablevision Systems Corp. in the $17.7 billion sale of the company to Altice N.V.
- Represented Cablevision (now Altice USA) in the sale of former Bresnan systems to Charter.
- Represented Cablevision (now Altice USA) in the $1.36 billion acquisition of Bresnan Communications and in the $1.625 billion sale of those systems to Charter.
FCC Regulation
- Defended Cablevision (now Altice USA) against a program carriage complaint filed by the Game Show Network (GSN) with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) alleging program carriage discrimination in violation of the FCC’s rules because Cablevision had repositioned GSN to a less widely distributed premium sports tier. We defended Cablevision at the FCC in Media Bureau proceedings, in proceedings before an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”), and after an adverse ALJ decision, in an appeal to the full FCC. As a result, the Commission overturned the ALJ decision, agreeing that Cablevision’s action was motivated by legitimate business needs, not discriminatory motives.
- Defended Altice USA in a carriage complaint brought by Starz.
- Defended AMC Networks and Discovery Communications in Enforcement Bureau proceedings related to the use of the EAS signal.
Recognition & Awards
- Best Lawyers in America: Communications Law (2019 – 2022)
- Recommended by the Legal 500 United States for Telecom & Broadcast: Regulatory (2016 - 2021)
Involvement
- Co-chair, PLI’s annual New York City conference on Cable and Broadband Law (2010 - 2020)
- Law360 Telecommunications Editorial Advisory Board (2021)
Recent Insights
News & Press
News & Press
Law360's 2021 Telecommunications Editorial Advisory Board
April 20, 2021
