FTC Competition Director Baer To Leave Post this Fall

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Robert Pitofsky today announced the resignation of William J. Baer, Director of the FTC's Competition Bureau.  Baer, who will leave the agency in the early fall, is the longest-serving Director in the Bureau's history.

Pitofsky said,  Over the last four years, the FTC's Bureau of Competition has enjoyed unparalleled success in its enforcement program.  A principal reason for that success is the balanced, thoughtful and knowledgeable leadership of Bill Baer.

Pitofsky stated that he will ask Richard G. Parker, Senior Deputy Director of the Bureau, to assume Baer's duties following his departure, and will ask Molly S. Boast, the Bureau's Senior Litigation Counsel, to assume Parker's duties.  Willard K. Tom will remain as Deputy Director.

Baer had extensive experience in both the public and private sectors before joining the Commission in 1995.   Prior to becoming Bureau Director he was a partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Arnold and Porter (1983-1995).  He also held a variety of positions at the FTC between 1975 and 1980.

During Baer's tenure, the Commission and its staff experienced an unprecedented string of litigation victories, including successful challenges to the proposed Staples/Office Depot merger, the proposed mergers of four of the nation's leading drug wholesalers, and the exclusionary practices of Toys R Us.   Under his direction, the Bureau successfully proposed settlement of antitrust charges against the Intel Corporation and charges involving the Time Warner/Turner merger.  Most recently in the case against Mylan Pharmaceuticals, the court upheld the Commission's authority to seek disgorgement of unlawful profits in antitrust cases.  During Baer's tenure, the Commission set all-time records for mergers reviewed and challenged, and dramatically improved the effectiveness of divestiture orders in merger cases.

Parker was named Senior Deputy Director for the Competition Bureau in May 1998. He came to the Commission from the Washington, D.C. office of the Los Angeles-based firm of O'Melveny & Myers where he was a partner specializing in antitrust litigation.  Parker started at O'Melveny & Myers as an associate in 1975 and became a partner in 1982.  Before working at the law firm, Parker clerked for Judge William Matthew Byrne, Jr., U.S. District Court Judge for the Central District of California.   Parker led the Commission's litigation against Intel, and was part of the FTC's litigation team that successfully challenged the drug wholesaler mergers in federal District Court.

Boast has been at the FTC since July 6, 1999, serving as Senior Litigation Counsel. She came to the FTC from the New York-based firm of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae where she had been Chair of the firm's Litigation Department since 1993 and a member of the firm's executive committee since 1995.   Boast has been a member of the American Bar Association, Antitrust and Litigation Sections and Chairs of the Task Force on Equal Opportunity (1996-1997) and Insurance Industry Committee, Antitrust Section (1992-1995).  She started at LeBouef in 1979.   Boast also has served on a number of pro bono boards including:  New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, Inc.; Volunteers of Legal Service, Inc.; Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services Corporation; and Community Action for Legal Services, Inc.  She is a 1979 graduate of the Columbia University School of Law.

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