Paul Weiss partner expected to be chosen by Trump to lead the Federal Trade Commission
A BigLaw lawyer who formerly worked at the Federal Trade Commission will be tapped to become its chairman.
President Donald Trump plans to nominate Joseph Simons, a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, and who is co-chair of its antitrust practice, report Bloomberg Big Law Business, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) and Law.com (sub. req.).
Simons led the FTC’s Bureau of Competition from 2001 to 2003. Reuters and Bloomberg highlight several FTC actions during those years, including bids to prevent consolidation of rum, pickle, glassware and ice cream companies.
The Washington Post calls Simons “a more establishment candidate with decades of experience” who has represented many technology companies. Silicon Valley “may be breathing a sigh of relief,” according to the Post.
Trump will also nominate Rohit Chopra, a senior fellow at the Consumer Federation of America, to fill the remainder of a term for a Democratic FTC commissioner that ends in September 2019. Reuters describes Chopra as an ally of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. The law allows only three FTC commissioners to come from one party.
The president is likely to nominate Noah Phillips, chief counsel for Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to fill a third commissioner vacancy, according to the press coverage.
