Christine A Varney

Partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

Christine A Varney is a partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore and chairs the firm’s antitrust practice. Widely recognised as one of the leading antitrust lawyers in the United States in both private practice and in government service, she is the only person to have served as both the US Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust (2009–2011) and as Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (1994–1997). She formulates global antitrust strategy for clients in connection with joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and other business transactions, including advising on business conduct or potential investments to ensure compliance with antitrust laws, securing antitrust regulatory approvals, and handling internal or governmental investigations into anticompetitive behaviour. Her clients span diverse industries, including transportation, telecommunications, technology, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and financial services. As Assistant Attorney General, Ms Varney oversaw all operations of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, including merger review, criminal and civil litigation, and investigations and coordination with competition regulators outside the United States. From 1997 to 2009, Ms Varney was in private practice, representing major corporations before the DoJ and the FTC. Prior to becoming FTC Commissioner, she served as Assistant to the President and Secretary to the Cabinet in the Clinton Administration.