Overview Experience Thought Leadership Outside the Office Community Leadership @RodneyWCarter

Rodney W. Carter

Partner

Milwaukee
office: 414.978.5365
fax: 414.223.5000

Chicago

Overview Experience Thought Leadership Outside the Office Community Leadership @RodneyWCarter

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“Rod Carter is the quintessential professional you want on your side, never on the opposition. He is obsessively goal-oriented, tactical, organized and quiet in his execution. He is not a braggart or arrogant, but rather an attorney you can also call your friend.”

Adam Berger, Vice President of Sales, Doering Fleet Management

Overview

For Rod, honesty and credibility are the foundation for the strong relationships he develops with clients.

Rod has earned a reputation for skillfully steering complex business and real estate transactions to successful outcomes within the public and private sectors. Leader of the firm’s Telecommunications team, Rod represents telecommunications companies and cable and internet service providers in all phases of their businesses. He also represents developers and national, regional and local retailers, and advises clients in industrial, office and multifamily real estate transactions.

Rod has broad experience in land use planning, zoning, eminent domain, tax increment financing, leasing, and construction and design contracts. He often represents clients in proceedings before governmental agencies.

He brings to his work strategic vision and a collaborative approach to solving problems. Rod is an effective advocate, deeply knowledgeable about the law and practical in finding effective solutions to clients’ issues.

Adam Berger, Vice President of Sales, Doering Fleet Management

Industry

Real Estate, Development & Construction

Services

Corporate

Corporate Real Estate

Land Use

Nonprofit Organizations & Religious Institutions

Tax

Telecommunications

Recognition

Milwaukee Business Journal, 40 Under 40 Award Recipient, 2016
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent
West Allis/West Milwaukee School District Service Award, 2013

Education

J.D., Marquette University Law School
B.A., Carthage College

Admissions

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

Professional Associations and Memberships

State Bar of Wisconsin, Real Estate and Public Utilities Sections
American Bar Association, Real Property and Public Utility/Communications Law Sections
Federal Communications Bar Association, Midwest Chapter, Co-Director
Wisconsin Wireless Association, Officer, Board of Directors
Illinois Wireless Association
Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin

Featured Case Study

All Parties Win in Deal on Telecommunications Tower

A wireless tower acquisition company sought to construct a new communications tower in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The local planning commission denied the tower on the grounds that surrounding residential properties would be harmed, purportedly because a wireless tower already stood on the property. Rod challenged the commission in court while simultaneously negotiating removal of the existing tower, effectively resolving the court action. The settlement paved the way for the client’s tower, which could accommodate multiple carriers, and accomplished the city’s goal of limiting the number of towers on the property.

Additional Experience

Advised private developers and investors, lenders, municipalities and community development authorities on land use planning, zoning, eminent domain, historic tax credits, multiple and mixed-use ownership structures, tax increment financing and leasing, and construction and design contracts and disputes.
Represented lenders and borrowers on workouts and financial restructuring of distressed real estate projects, including retail and office centers, hotels, industrial properties and other types of commercial and multifamily real estate.
Advised NYSE and NASDAQ telecommunications companies on deployment of wireless digital networks, including securing government approvals, acquiring public and private land rights, and negotiating lease/co-location agreements.
Represented companies in negotiation/enforcement of complex commercial transactions, including network joint ventures, interconnection agreements, pole attachment agreements, co-location agreements, IRU agreements, joint trench agreements, fiber leases, and ISP and VoIP service agreements.
Advocated for clients before federal and state courts, the Federal Communications Commission and state public utility commissions.
Represented Lendlease in obtaining favorable settlement in lawsuit against the Village of Cary, Illinois. The victory paves the way for the construction of the first privately-permitted wireless tower in the Village.

Thought Leadership

Client Results

Lendlease Favorably Settles Telecommunications Lawsuit

December 11, 2018

Wireless Tower Built Despite Initial Rejection

May 16, 2017

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Articles

GlobeSt.com: Applying Blockchain to Real Estate Transactions

January 18, 2019

Inside Towers: Court Gives Guidance on Excessive Right-of-Way Fees in Qwest v. Des Moines

August 13, 2018

Law360 Expert Analysis: How To Avoid Errors And Maximize Benefits In Rooftop Leases (log-in required)

August 07, 2018

2017 Edition of Done Deals Describes Client Successes

May 15, 2017

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White Papers

The Sky's No Longer the Limit

August 07, 2018

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Media Mentions

Law Week Colorado: Moving Up

September 05, 2018

RE Journals: Reaping the rewards of rooftop leases while dodging the pitfalls

August 30, 2018

Inside Towers: Law Firm Wins One for Client and Church

May 15, 2018

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News Releases

Husch Blackwell Prevails for PI Tower in Siting Dispute

March 26, 2018

Central States, Verizon Win Permit for New Wireless Communications Tower

January 06, 2017

Husch Blackwell’s Carter Named to Wisconsin Wireless Association Board of Directors

January 03, 2017

USAToday: Appleton not alone in being sued over cell towers

August 31, 2016

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Seminars

Association Academy

09/21/2018

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Outside the Office

Rod is married to a municipal lawyer and is the proud father of three children, a son who is studying computer engineering and physics at Lehigh University, a daughter who is studying photojournalism at the University of Missouri, and a son who is in middle school.

Rod enjoys politics, reading, music, travel and his faith. He is also a sports fan. In true Green Bay Packers tradition, he holds season tickets at Lambeau Field that have been in his family for multiple generations. He focuses his charitable efforts on issues involving education.

Community Leadership

Board of Zoning Appeals, City of Brookfield, Wisconsin
Carthage College Alumni Association, Officer, Board of Directors
Marquette University Law School Mediation Program, Teacher, Mediator and Judge
Marquette University Law School Alumni Association, Board of Directors, 2004-2012

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