Clifford Chance has tapped the Federal Trade Commission’s general counsel to head the firm’s U.S. antitrust group.
William Blumenthal will join the law firm as a partner in both the mergers and acquisitions practice and the litigation and dispute resolution practice, Clifford Chance announced on Tuesday. Blumenthal’s move to the firm comes after nearly four years with the FTC, during which time he advised the commission and its staff on law and policy, represented the agency in state and federal court, supervised agency reports to the president and Congress, and advised the commission on proposed legislation, among other things.
Blumenthal has also been involved in government contacts with China, India, Japan, Korea and the European Union on issues ranging from competition laws to consumer protection.
Craig Medwick, Clifford Chance’s regional managing partner for the Americas, said that Blumenthal’s international experience will be an asset to the firm, which has offices in 21 countries.
In his new role at Clifford Chance, Blumenthal will advise clients on all aspects of antitrust law. That includes mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, horizontal and vertical restraints, monopolization, predatory pricing, distribution agreements and consumer protection issues. Prior to the FTC, Blumenthal was a partner in King & Spalding’s antitrust and trade regulation practice.
Another FTC attorney — senior trial counsel Thomas J. Lang — recently found a law firm home. Lang joined Morgan Lewis & Bockius as a partner.
