A Goodwin Procter partner has been appointed by a New York judge as an external competition "monitor", to oversee Apple's competition policies, procedures and training.

Michael Bromwich, a Washington DC-based litigation partner and member of the firm's white collar defence group, has agreed to take up the role for two years.

His appointment follows a ruling in July that Apple conspired with five publishers to fix e-book prices.

Last week, New York District Judge Denise Cote said she had appointed Bromwich after considering the names of two "well-qualified candidates" to serve as Apple's competition monitor.

Bromwich will advise on the matter through his independent consultancy firm the Bromwich Group, rather than on as a partner of Goodwin Procter.

Independent monitors are regularly appointed by the US courts as part of settlement agreements.

"Having interviewed both candidates, it is clear that either one is capable of doing an exceptional job as monitor," said Cote in a short court filing. "The court is grateful to both candidates for their commitment to public service."

Bromwich will be assisted by Fried Frank's head of antitrust Bernard Nigro.

"I am deeply honoured to have been selected by the court to serve as the monitor in this matter," said Bromwich in a brief statement, though he did not immediately respond to a wider request for comment.

The e-books case, which was originally brought by US Department of Justice (DoJ) officials in November 2012, led to mandates for Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and O'Melveny & Myers, with both firms advising Apple.

In June 2010, Bromwich was appointed by President Barack Obama to reform the regulation and oversight of offshore drilling in the wake of the Deepwater oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a position he held until the end of 2011.

Bromwich has also led numerous high-profile government and internal investigations, and served as the Inspector General of the DoJ between 1994 and 1999.