Sean A. Stokes

Sean Stokes represents clients nationally on a wide range of communications matters, including broadband, cable television, wireless communications, right-of-way management, pole attachments, barriers to community broadband initiatives, and public-private partnerships. He counsels clients in developing and negotiating agreements involving access to poles, ducts, conduits, dark fiber, and towers. He has represented municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, investor-owned utilities, and local governments in complex negotiations developing city-wide fiber-to-the-home networks and wireless small cell siting agreements. He has also assisted in the creation of public-private broadband consortia seeking federal and state broadband funding.

Sean has advised clients in numerous cases involving complex factual, legal, and policy issues, multiple parties, and large amounts in controversy. His clients include national and state utility associations, municipal leagues, and numerous public and private entities throughout the United States (U.S.). He collaborates with multi-disciplinary teams of legal, financial, engineering, and other technical experts, assisting clients in making comprehensive telecommunications and broadband plans.

Sean has authored numerous industry publications and is the principal author of an extensive guidebook and a model pole attachment agreement for the American Public Power Association (APPA), which assists approximately 2,000 public power utilities. He is frequently invited to speak at industry conferences and has recently presented on topics such as community broadband, small cell, pole attachments, and public-private partnerships.

Sean's extensive career experience includes counseling clients at a boutique Washington, DC telecommunications law firm, as well as Associate General Counsel for the Utilities Technologies Council (UTC), where he helped develop and implement the legislative and regulatory strategy of the nation’s electric, gas, and water utilities regarding the adoption and implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Awards

•AV Preeminent Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Insights & In the News

Communications and Technology Alert: 900 MHz Satellite Experimentation; Broadband Data Co...

05.26.2026
Publication

Communications and Technology Alert: Commission Approves EchoStar Spectrum Transactions; ...

05.18.2026
Publication

Communications and Technology Alert: DISH EBBP and ACP Settlement; Verizon NG911 Waiver P...

05.11.2026
Publication

Sean Stokes Featured in CBAN’s Broadband Action Podcast

In The News
11.14.2024

Events

Partners Greg Kunkle, Tom Magee, and Sean Stokes to Present at the 2026 UTC Telecom & Technology Conference

Speaking Engagement

06.01.2026
06.04.2026

Partners Casey Lide and Sean Stokes to Present at Broadband Communities Summit 2026

Speaking Engagement

08.25.2026
08.27.2026