Michael A. Holmes is Of Counsel and focuses his practice primarily in the areas of telecommunications law, administrative and regulatory law, and appellate law.

An attorney with more than 30 years experience in private practice and in corporate legal departments, Mr. Holmes is General Counsel for the Telecommunications Association of Michigan where he advises and represents telecommunications companies on legislation, Michigan Public Service Commission proceedings, trial and appellate litigation, video franchising, consumer protection, dispute resolution, negotiations, campaign finance, and municipal law.

On behalf of major telecommunications clients, Mr. Holmes has successfully handled numerous, complex rate cases, rulemaking, complaint, arbitration and civil and appellate litigation proceedings with tens-of-millions of dollars at stake.

Mr. Holmes also has extensive experience in drafting amendments to current laws and pending legislation.

Practice Areas:

• Administrative Law
• Regulatory Law
• Energy, Telecommunications & Public Utilities Law
• Video Franchise Law 

Professional Memberships:

• U.S. Supreme Court (1984)
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit (1978)
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan (1978)
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan (1974)
• State Bar of Michigan (Administrative and Business Law Sections) (1974)
• NAACP (Life Member)

Practice Highlights

• Represented Telecommunications Association of Michigan on 2009 and 2011 amendments to Michigan Telecommunications Act
• Assisted in drafting of landmark Michigan video service franchise legislation effective January 1, 2007
• Successfully represented a major telecommunications company in multiple Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) proceedings with hundreds of millions of dollars in long distance, access, and local services revenues at stake
• Represented the Telecommunications Association of Michigan as amicus curaie in the Michigan Supreme Court case of City of Taylor v. Detroit Edison which the Supreme Court overruled 25 years of Michigan Court of Appeals precedent on the responsibility to pay for the relocation of utility facilities at the request of a municipality
• Played a key role in the representation of a major telecommunications company in the Michigan Supreme Court in Rovas v. SBC Michigan in which the court overruled 10 years of Michigan Court of Appeals precedent and clarified the proper standard of review of an administrative agency’s legal analysis
• Advised a major telecommunications company in connection with its successful efforts to obtain multi-million dollar property tax credits for broadband investment under Michigan law
• Advised and drafted numerous amendments to the Public Service Commission Act, METRO Act, Michigan Telecommunications Act, Emergency Telephone Service Enabling Act and Miss Dig Act and other state legislation
• Advised telecommunications clients on various issues under the Michigan Campaign Finance Act and Michigan Lobby Registration Act

Recognition & Public Service:

• Moot Court Competition Judge, University of Michigan Law School (1996, 1998)
• Worked for Legal Aid Association, University of Michigan Law School
• State Bar of Michigan (Access to Justice)
• City of Plymouth, Charter Review Commission and Planning Commission (Member, 2003-2006)
• Leadership Detroit (Alumnus)
• United Way of Detroit (Motivational Speaker)
• Kappa Sigma Fraternity, University of Michigan (Chairman, Board of Trustees, 1980-1987)
• Procurement Advisory Task Force, State of Michigan Department of Management and Budget (Member, 2002-2004)
• Legal Advisory Group to Gubernatorial Transition Team (Member, 2002-2003)

Publications & Presentations

• Co-author of “A New Era of Video Competition in Michigan”, August 2008, Michigan State Bar Journal
• Guest speaker and panelist – MSU Institute of Public Utilities Forum on Telecommunications and Energy Regulatory Policy, 2006

Education:

• University of Michigan Law School, J.D. cum laude, 1974
• University of Michigan, B.A., with honors, 1970