John D. Seiver

John Seiver is a seasoned legal expert with a passion for navigating the complex landscape of privacy and communications law – including infrastructure issues related to pole attachments. With a career spanning back to 1979, and communications expertise coinciding with enactment of the Cable Act of 1984, John boasts an impressive track record of direct involvement in some of the most prominent state and national communications litigation cases. In recent years, his focus has honed in on the ever-evolving realms of privacy, AI, and biometrics, but not ever forgetting pole attachments.

In an era where data privacy is at the forefront of compliance and legal scrutiny, John stands as a staunch defender of internet and telecommunications service providers that collect, store, share, and process personal data, biometrics, and communication content. Often, providers become targets of inquiry in civil and criminal investigations and litigation based on the personal data collected from and stored by users. Yet, the nuances of federal and state data disclosure laws are frequently overlooked, especially when a provider is regulated by differing and conflicting state and federal laws. John's unwavering commitment to clients ensures strict adherence to the intricate web of federal and state laws, including newly enacted state data privacy laws. He has been instrumental in assisting clients in responding to, or challenging, state and federal civil and criminal subpoenas, court orders, and warrants related to cable, CLEC, CPNI, wireless, device location (CSLI and GPS), cloud storage, and ISP data.

On the infrastructure side, as utilities and pole owners increasingly seek ways to expand their profit margins beyond cost reimbursement for hosting third-party attachments, John has been a committed advocate for attachers that provide cable, ISP, wireline, wireless, and voice services. He has been a trusted advisor and advocate both at the FCC, before state commissions, and in the courtroom. His involvement has been pivotal in the resolution of disputes involving makeready processes, permitting, NESC compliance, and the rates, terms, and conditions of pole attachments and rights-of-way access, often favoring attachers under relevant federal and state law.

With a deep-rooted commitment to interpreting and applying existing and new laws while setting important legal precedents, John is a trailblazer in the world of privacy, biometrics, and pole attachment litigation. His unwavering dedication to ensuring compliance with data privacy laws and advocating for the interests of attachers has solidified his reputation as a leading figure in this complex legal terrain.