FCC chairman names Zachary Katz chief counsel

Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski named Zachary Katz chief counsel and senior legal adviser, making him the point person for managing the Commission's overall agenda.

The position opened up when the FCC announced Rick Kaplan would be leaving to take over as chief of the Wireless Bureau. Katz was the candidate most favored by public interest advocates for his work on the FCC's net-neutrality rules, which he helped steer through months of delicate meetings.

Katz joined the FCC in 2009 and served as deputy bureau chief in the Office of Strategic Planning. He earned a law degree from Yale where he was editor-in-chief of The Yale Law Journal. Prior to law school he worked with technology companies at a strategy and consulting firm in Silicon Valley.

Genachowski also announced that Sherrese Smith, currently a legal adviser, will become senior counsel and Amy Levine, currently special counsel, will also take on a role as legal adviser. Both were considered candidates for Katz's position.

Levine worked for several Democrats on the Hill and has focused on spectrum incentive auctions while in the chairman's office. Smith was the candidate most favored by media and cable interests and is the longest-serving of the three at the FCC.