Ann LaFrance

Ann J. LaFrance is the Coordinating Partner of the European communications law and data privacy practice for Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in London. Drawing from more than 20 years of industry experience in Europe and the Americas, Ms. LaFrance advises clients on regulation and competition law, advocacy and dispute resolution, merger control, and general commercial and corporate law. She is an expert in the areas of interconnection and access regulation, European Commission competition law and merger review, e-commerce matters including data protection and data retention, international Internet policy and global licensing issues. She also has experience negotiating a wide variety of complex cross-border commercial arrangements between and among operators, service providers and customers. Ms. LaFrance has particular experience with the drafting of legislative and regulatory framework to facilitate sector restructuring, liberalization and privatization in emerging markets. Previously, Ms. LaFrance served as Chief International Counsel of MCI Communications from 1996 to 2003, based in Brussels and London. In that capacity, she played an integral role in formulating company policy on regulatory and competition matters and advocating the company’s position before the EC, national regulatory and competition authorities in the EU and around the world, and US government agencies. Ms. LaFrance serves as a member of the board of directors of the International Institute of Communications. (This is me - Update Profile)