Morgan Lewis announced today that Willard K. Tom has returned to the firm as a partner in the Antitrust Practice after serving as the General Counsel of the Federal Trade Commission from 2009 to 2012. Mr. Tom was a partner at Morgan Lewis from 2000 to 2009, and, prior to that, held leadership positions in both federal antitrust agencies during the Clinton Administration.
As the FTC’s General Counsel, Mr. Tom acted as the Commission’s chief legal officer and advisor, representing the Commission in court and providing counsel to the Commission, its operating bureaus and offices. He was involved in the most significant Commission matters regarding competition—including merger enforcement and conduct—and also on matters relating to consumer protection, where the FTC has pursued an active enforcement program.
“Will is among the best known antitrust lawyers in the country and has a worldwide reputation in the area,” said Firm Chair Francis M. Milone. “His unparalleled understanding of the FTC and DOJ and vast knowledge of antitrust law are invaluable assets to our clients in Washington and nationally. We are proud to welcome him back to the firm.”
Mr. Tom has worked in the antitrust field for more than 30 years. In private practice, he has counseled and represented clients in merger and nonmerger matters before the FTC, the U.S. Department of Justice, state attorneys general, and federal courts. Mr. Tom has also served in several other important governmental management and policy positions and roles, including as Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition of the FTC, as head of the Bureau’s policy office, and as counselor to the head of the Antitrust Division of the DOJ. He was one of the principal drafters of the DOJ and FTC’s “Antitrust Guidelines for the Licensing of Intellectual Property.”
“Our clients now face a tougher enforcement climate, and Will is well-positioned to help them with their most challenging transactions, their most high profile investigations, and antitrust litigation critical to their business strategies,” noted Scott A. Stempel, Leader of the firm’s Antitrust Practice.
Grace E. Speights, Managing Partner of the Washington office, added, “Commitment to public service is something we value highly at Morgan Lewis. We’re proud of Will’s achievements in this regard and are thrilled he has decided to return to the firm.”
Mr. Tom joins an Antitrust Practice that consists of more than 70 litigators and transactional lawyers in 10 offices internationally and provides the full spectrum of antitrust services, from preventive counseling to advice on complex issues to defense of “bet-the-company” litigation. The practice is consistently ranked among the top 10 antitrust litigation firms in the United States.
