Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP is pleased to announce that, Mark A. Settle, P.E. has joined the firm as Senior Engineering Advisor. Mr. Settle joins after nine years at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where he most recently served as Chief of the Policy and Rules Division of the Office of Engineering and Technology. Prior to his FCC service, Mark led the Spectrum Analysis Branch at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for two years, after five years as a Senior Engineer. Mr. Settle also spent nine years as an Electronics Engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, where he performed research, development and engineering for various Navy systems, including radio links for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

With over 20 years of diverse experience in electrical engineering, Mr. Settle has worked on federal and non-federal spectrum issues, interference analyses, propagation modelling, coordination with federal users, experimental licensing and spectrum allocation. While at the FCC, Mr. Settle focused on the technical aspects of spectrum policy, overseeing rulemakings and other administrative proceedings regarding spectrum allocations, use of unlicensed spectrum, interference mitigation techniques, and the adoption of technical rules. He played a key role in interference studies between Ultrawideband devices and GPS receivers, and developed US positions for WRC-03, attending preparatory meetings in Geneva supporting those studies for Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) systems operating at 5 GHz. He also implemented frequency coordination procedures between the FCC and other federal agencies, and often represented the Commission in intergovernmental meetings, including with Congressional staff.

Bryan Tramont, Managing Partner of Wilkinson Barker Knauer, said, “Mark is a technical and policy powerhouse – with deep and broad experience at the FCC and NTIA with commercial and government spectrum issues. He is well respected by the spectrum community across the country and brings the skill and integrity we always seek for our team.” Mr. Settle commented, “I am excited by the opportunity to apply the knowledge I have gained through my career in government as I enter the private sector for the first time, and I look forward to being a valuable member of the team at WBK.”

Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, one of the largest law firms in the nation dedicated primarily to the practice of communications and energy law, is ranked as a “first tier” firm by Chambers USA (Telecom, Broadcast, and Satellite: Regulatory), and Legal 500 (Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory), and was twice named “Law Firm of the Year” in communications law by U.S. News – Best Lawyers (2012 & 2014). The firm, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Denver, Colorado, advises clients ranging from global Fortune 100 companies to small start-ups in regulatory, transactional, privacy, consumer protection, trademark, corporate and litigation matters involving all aspects of communications and energy law, at both the state and federal levels.

More on Mr. Settle can be found at http://www.wbklaw.com/Our_Team/Mark_Settle and additional information about Wilkinson Barker Knauer can be found at http://www.wbklaw.com. Mr. Settle can be reached at msettle@wbklaw.com and at (202) 383-3424.