About

The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is the independent national regulatory authority for the electronic communications and postal sectors and, as such, faces challenges not typically encountered by private operators. It thus requires expert legal counsel to effectively discharge its functions while minimising the regulatory burden on regulated entities. The legal team at ComReg consists of 13 lawyers, one legal administrator and one paralegal and is led by vastly experienced general counsel Caroline Dee-Brown. In the last two years, the lawyers in the team have become fully embedded in project management on both divisional and cross divisional projects. With this has come the challenge of providing commercial and solutions-focused advice and assistance from the beginning to the end of every project. The lawyers work in multi-disciplinary teams, which means they must develop a familiarity with complex economics, finance, and network engineering. There has been an increased focus on delivering proactive and dynamic regulatory responses in an environment of rapid international regulatory change, while at all times ensuring that regulatory decisions are legally robust, consistent and process-driven. This has led to a groundbreaking use of an increasing number of regulatory compliance and enforcement powers to achieve greater consumer focus within the telecommunications industry, which champions consumer needs and gives a voice to often voiceless consumers. ComReg’s lawyers are also credited with pioneering the use and development of legal framework agreements with external law firms which has required leader-driven case management and efficient use of resources. Some the team’s recent projects have included a number of successful auctions of spectrum rights to facilitate the development of wireless broadband, the development of a numbering regime for machine-to-machine communications and promoting greater mobile connectivity through participation in Ireland’s national Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce. Additionally, the team has worked on encouraging and facilitating the roll-out of fibre networks across the country, fundamental reviews of the way a range of wholesale markets are regulated, development of new price comparison tools for consumers and implementing new rules relating to mobile roaming. Among the team, Dee-Brown identified senior legal advisor, John O’Flaherty (Commissioner’s Office) and senior manager and senior legal advisor, Niamh Hodnett (Wholesale Division), for their contribution to the team. In particular, Dee-Brown says that O’Flaherty ‘shapes how the law works and develops and … is a role model for his colleagues in playing a key part in leading multidisciplinary cross divisional teams and senior management in their decision making … applies strategic vision and insight’. Regarding Hodnett, Dee-Brown says she is ‘a consummate professional recognised as an industry specialist. Niamh drives her team to provide realistic options, practical advice and strategies to lead to solutions… her background in industry and private practice further adds to her competencies as an expert trusted advisor to our multidisciplinary teams’.