Bill Baer Named to Serve as AAG in Charge of Justice Department Antitrust Division
On February 3, the White House announced President Barack Obama’s intention to nominate Bill Baer to serve as Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division.
There was much speculation that Baer would be named to head the Antitrust Division after Sharis A. Pozen, the current acting assistant attorney general for antitrust, announced her intention to resign just over one week ago (see January 24 blog post). Pozen plans to leave the Justice Department at the end of this month to return to private practice.
Bill Baer is currently the head of the antitrust group at the Washington, D.C. office of Arnold & Porter, LLP. Baer held a number of high-level positi [...]
Fines Mounting in Department of Justice Auto Parts Cartel Investigation
The Department of Justice today announced a total of $548 million in fines resulting from a second round of charges in the government’s ongoing investigation into collusive activity in the auto parts industry.
Two more Japanese companies have agreed to plead guilty for their roles in multiple price fixing and bid rigging conspiracies in the sale of parts to automobile manufacturers in the United States. The Antitrust Division announced that Japanese suppliers of automotive electrical components—Yazaki Corporation and DENSO Corporation—have agreed to pay a total of $548 million in criminal fines.
The latest fines, when taken together with a $200 million fine imposed last November on Fur [...]
Acting Antitrust Chief Pozen Plans to Step Down in April
Less than six months after her appointment as Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division, Sharis A. Pozen has announced her resignation, effective as of April 30, 2012. Late yesterday, the Justice Department issued a statement announcing the departure.
There was no word on who would replace Pozen. However, there is speculation in the media that Bill Baer, head of the antitrust group at the Washington, D.C. office of Arnold & Porter, LLP. might be on the short-list of candidates. Baer has held a number of high-level positions at the Federal Trade Commission, including director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition.
The current deputy assistant a [...]
