Businesses can expect more aggressive enforcement of U.S.
antitrust and consumer protection laws.
President Obama recently announced his selections to head the
U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division (DOJ) and the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Christine Varney will become the
assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division, and Jonathan
Leibowitz will assume the role of chairman of the FTC. Varney's
appointment is subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate, while
Leibowitz's appointment to chairman is not subject to
confirmation hearings given his current position as an FTC
commissioner. The selection of Varney signals that the Obama
administration likely will be pragmatic, but more aggressive than
the Bush administration in its enforcement of U.S. antitrust laws,
while the elevation of Commissioner Leibowitz to chairman
emphasizes the FTC's continued role in robust enforcement of
competition and consumer protection laws.
