The Baller Herbst Law Group

James Baller
(202) 833-1144
Jim@Baller.com

Jim Baller is president of the Baller Herbst Law Group, a national law firm based in Washington, DC, and Minneapolis, MN. The Firm specializes in communications and related matters, including telecommunications, cable television, high-speed data communications, the Internet, wireless communications, right-of-way management, pole and conduit attachments, barriers to the public-sector entry into communications, bankruptcy, privacy, and antitrust. His clients include the American Public Power Association, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), regional and state utility associations and municipal leagues, and numerous public and private entities in more than 35 states. He is also the founder of the US Broadband Coalition, a large and diverse consortium of prominent communications providers, high technology companies, manufacturers, labor unions, public interest and consumer groups, educational institutions, state and local government entities, utilities, content creators, foundations, charitable institutions, and other organizations that are working toward the development of a comprehensive national broadband strategy.

The Fiber to the Home Council has recognized Jim as "the nation's most experienced and knowledgeable attorney on public broadband matters," and MuniWireless has called him "the foremost legal expert on U.S. public broadband matters." In 2001, NATOA named him its Member of the Year. In 2006, MuniWireless presented him its first Esme Award, for "working tirelessly to protect the interests of municipalities, many times in the face of huge opposition." In 2007, NATOA honored him as its first "Community Broadband Visionary of the Year," for "almost single-handedly putting the issue of the need for a national broadband strategy to the forefront of public consciousness." Washingtonian Magazine has listed Jim as one of "Washington's Best Lawyers" (defined as the top one percent). Ars Technica recently named him one of the "Top Names in Tech Policy for 2009."

As a litigator, Jim has had first-chair responsibility in numerous cases involving complex factual, legal and policy issues, multiple parties, and large amounts in controversy. He also works regularly with multi-disciplinary teams of legal, financial, accounting, engineering and other technical experts to assist local and regional government entities in making comprehensive telecommunications plans, establishing state-of-the-art communications systems, developing strategic partners, and integrating right-of-way and zoning ordinances, franchises, licenses, pole-attachment agreements, contracts, forms, permits and other related documents.

Jim is a frequent keynote speaker and author on communications matters. Several extensive interviews are available online, including:

Other representative works include "Bigger Vision, Bolder Action, Brighter Future: Capturing the Promise of Broadband for North Carolina and America," a white paper for the e-NC Authority of North Carolina (June 2008) (co-author); "A National Broadband Strategy: 'Make No Small Plans,'" NATOA Journal (Fall 2007); "Eight Bold Steps to a National Broadband Strategy" FTTH Prism (Jan. 2007) (co-author); "America Needs a Fiber-Based National Broadband Policy Now," FTTH Prism (Oct. 2006) (co-author); "Deceptive Myths About Municipal Broadband: Disinformation About Public Ownership Impeding Progress," Broadband Properties Magazine (May 2005); Keynote Address to the Fiber-to-the-Home Conference (October 2004); "Curbing Anticompetitive Practices By Cable Incumbents: If Not Now, When?" NATOA Journal of Municipal Telecommunications Policy (Winter 2004) (co-author); Federal Privacy Guidebook (APPA 2005) (co-author); Community Broadband Guidebook (APPA 2003) (co-author); and Pole Attachment Guidebook (APPA 2002) (co-author).

Jim is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Cornell Law School. He is a member of the Bars of the Supreme Court of the United States; the United States Circuit Courts of Appeal for the District of Columbia, Federal, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Eleventh Circuits; and the courts of the District of Columbia. He holds Martindale-Hubbell's highest AV rating. .