Criminal Antitrust Enforcement: A Review, a Look Ahead and a Change

The Obama administration began its second term with a new leader, William J. Baer, heading up the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. At the recent ABA Antitrust Law Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., Baer, along with other government prosecutors and private defense attorneys, reviewed developments over the last year and offered a look ahead. One development that may affect Pennsylvania in particular is the closing on January 30 of the division’s Philadelphia field office after 65 years of service.

Division Personnel Changes and Realignment

Baer has practiced antitrust law in both the government and private sector. His solid reputation will help steady the division at a time when the organization faces daunting personnel and budget challenges. For instance, on January 30, the division also closed its regional field offices in Atlanta, Cleveland and Dallas. The sequestration is further squeezing the division’s budget. At the ABA spring meeting, Baer said the division’s budget situation was dire: "Our effort has got to be on behavior that causes the most significant consumer injuries. We are looking hard at where the problems are the biggest: that’s where we are going to divert our scarce resources."