Carolyn S. Flahive

Practices

• Telecommunications
• Corporate Transactions & Securities

Professional Experience

Carolyn is a member of the firm's Corporate Transactions & Securities practice group in the Columbus office and has been representing the interests of public utilities, telecommunications companies, wireless service providers and technology-related businesses since joining Thompson Hine in 2000. Carolyn not only works closely with clients on all matters that fall within the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio ("PUCO") and the Ohio Power Siting Board ("OPSB"), she also counsels such clients on non-regulated matters including wireless, Internet, video, and Voice over Internet Protocol services ("VoIP"). To keep the firm's clients fully informed of developing regulatory issues, Carolyn monitors proceedings before the PUCO and the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC").

Carolyn is admitted to practice in Ohio and before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

Education

• Capital University Law School, J.D., 2000, magna cum laude
• The Ohio State University, B.A., 1979

• Acts as liaison between public utilities and the PUCO, OPSB, and FCC.
• Defends disputes with local exchange carriers involving resale of telecommunications services, usage of facilities, intercarrier compensation and billing, directory advertising, traffic exchange, and other regulatory matters, before the PUCO.
• Files requests for waivers of regulatory obligations when circumstances require.
• Manages all aspects of public utility rate cases, including drafting the applications, responding to PUCO data requests and inquiries, justifying the proposed higher rates, representing utilities at public hearings, and drafting and negotiating stipulations with the PUCO.
• Advises local exchange carriers on corporate matters and regulatory issues related to tariffs and detariffing, local number portability, lifeline assistance, video service authorizations, customer service standards, reporting requirements, N11 services, Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI), the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), 911, and other PUCO and FCC regulatory obligations.
• Drafts wide variety of agreements including those pertaining to the lease of fiber and other facilities, operations and management, purchase and/or provision of services, pole attachments, licenses, advertising, billing and collection, agent and reseller relationships, right-of-occupancy, Internet service, video service authorizations, carrier-to-carrier compensation, and directory assistance.
• Responsible for all aspects of certifying companies to become competitive local exchange carriers and/or interexchange carriers.
• Negotiates interconnection and traffic exchange agreements.
• Advises on compliance obligations associated with the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft “Red Flags” rules.  
• Assists in obtaining financing from the Rural Utilities Service.
• Drafts applications for various regulatory approvals, including those for alternative regulation, changes in rates, introduction of new services, name changes, financing, extension of rural exemption, mergers/transfer of control, abandonment/withdrawal of services, etc.
• Counsels companies relative to customer privacy and data protection issues.
• Advises telecommunications companies relative to mergers and acquisitions.
• Counsel to fiber optic network operators.
• Advises telecommunications companies on various corporate governance issues.

• "Medical Malpractice Liability Reforms" · Ohio Lawyer, Ohio State Bar Association, January/February 2005
• "A Study of Federal Preemption and Its Impact on the Wireless Communications Industry - What Did Congress Really Have in Mind?", Capital University Law Review, 1999-2000