Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has announced that his special counsel, Nirali Patel, will now serve as his wireline advisor. Ms. Patel replaces Dr. Jay Schwarz, who is returning to the FCC’s Office of Strategic Planning & Policy Analysis. The wireline advisor advises the Chairman on issues primarily covered by the Wireline Competition Bureau.
Prior to joining Chairman Pai’s office in January 2018, Ms. Patel served as a legal advisor to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr and as a deputy chief in the Competition Policy Division of the Wireline Competition Bureau. Before joining the Commission, Ms. Patel worked in private legal practice.
In addition, Preston Wise will join the Chairman’s Office as an acting special counsel. Mr. Wise joins the Chairman’s Office from the Wireline Competition Bureau, where he has served as an attorney-advisor in the Telecommunications Access Policy Division. Prior to joining the Commission in January 2017, he worked in private legal practice.
