Rakesh Patel brings more than 25 years of public service experience to HWG LLP, advising clients on a range of telecommunications matters, with a particular focus on privacy, cybersecurity, program fraud, Know Your Customer, robocalls and texts, and regulatory compliance.

Prior to joining HWG, Rakesh held several senior roles within the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Enforcement Bureau, including Deputy Bureau Chief, Chief of the Fraud Division, and Deputy Director of the Universal Service Fund (USF) Strike Force. He played a key role in launching and leading the USF Strike Force and its successor, the Bureau’s Fraud Division, which were created to investigate and address fraud, waste, and abuse involving the multibillion-dollar Universal Service Fund. Under his leadership, the group became a central force in ensuring integrity across telecom funding programs.

Through his enforcement work at the FCC, Rakesh participated in a broad range of investigative matters across multiple portfolios, involving some of the most sensitive, lengthy, and complex enforcement investigations at the FCC.

Earlier in his career, Rakesh served as Chief of the Maryland Attorney General’s Criminal Division and held prosecutorial roles with the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, where he managed and tried a wide range of criminal matters.