Latham & Watkins partner appointed FTC director
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has appointed Abbott Lipsky, a partner at law firm Latham & Watkins, as acting director of its bureau of competition.
Lipsky will replace Deborah Feinstein on March 6.
He has more than 40 years of experience in competition law and currently serves as co-chair of the antitrust section of the American Bar Association’s international task force.
Maureen Ohlhausen, FTC acting chairman, said: “The FTC plays an indispensable role in ensuring that the American economy remains competitive and continues to foster innovation and growth, to the benefit of all consumers, based on sound free-market principles.”
She said she was pleased Abbott will join the agency to help meet this “critical mission”.
Lipsky added that he was honoured to be included in a leadership team that will “reinforce and focus the FTC’s great strengths in antitrust, while identifying and exploring opportunities to renovate and improve”.
Alan Devlin, who previously served as attorney adviser to Ohlhausen, has been appointed acting deputy director of the competition bureau.
Devlin joined the FTC in 2015 from Latham & Watkins, and currently teaches competition as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.
Svetlana Gans, a former attorney adviser and litigation attorney within the bureaus of consumer protection and competition, has been appointed Ohlhausen’s chief of staff.
Gans joined the FTC in 2010 from private practice, where she focused on competition and consumer protection matters.
Did you enjoy reading this story? Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories like this sent straight to your inbox.
