President Obama Plans to Appoint Jon Leibowitz Chairman of the FTC

Many media outlets have reported that President Obama plans to name Jon Leibowitz – a Democrat who is currently a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission – to serve as the Chairman of the FTC. Commissioner Leibowitz was appointed to the Commission by President George W. Bush in 2004. Since he is a sitting Commissioner and has previously received the Senate’s approval, no confirmation hearings will be required. This Client Advisory, prepared by the Kelley Drye Advertising Law and Antitrust practice groups, provides an overview of both his professional background and publicly expressed views on specific consumer protection and antitrust issues, with an eye towards predicting several of his primary enforcement goals as FTC Chairman.