US: Ex-Acting Chair and Commissioner of FTC joins Baker Botts

Baker Botts announced that Maureen Ohlhausen has joined the firm, and will become a partner and a Co-Chair of the global Antitrust Practice effective January 1, 2019.

From January 2017 to May 2018, Ms. Ohlhausen was Acting Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the highest-ranking position in the agency, charged with antitrust enforcement and consumer protection. She served as FTC Commissioner from 2012 until her appointment as acting Chairman. She also led the FTC’s Office of Policy Planning, as its Director, from 2004-2008 before leaving the agency in 2008 to serve clients in private practice.

During her distinguished tenure at the top echelon of the FTC, Ms. Ohlhausen was a leading voice in shaping the current standards that apply to antitrust, privacy, and consumer protection laws, both in the US and globally through her interactions with regulators, elected officials, judges, and scholars, both at home and abroad. She has received numerous awards, including the FTC’s Robert Pitofsky Lifetime Achievement Award and the George Mason University Distinguished Alumni Award.

In early 2018, Ms. Ohlhausen was nominated by President Trump to serve on the United States Court of Federal Claims. She recently withdrew her nomination in favor of her decision to serve the needs of clients in private practice.

“Maureen has an exceptionally impressive background highlighted by her significant and influential recent tenure as Acting Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and as a former Commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission. Our clients will directly benefit from having a lawyer with Maureen’s depth of experience available to work with them on their antitrust and FTC related matters,” said Andrew M. Baker, Managing Partner of Baker Botts.