Summer Legal Internship Program
One of the major goals of the Bureau of Competition’s legal internship program is to provide law students with meaningful work experience in the field of antitrust enforcement. The legal internship program gives law students the opportunity to work closely with attorneys, economists, and other investigative staff on actual law enforcement investigations and federal court litigations. Interns can expect to learn the fundamentals of antitrust law through substantive assignments on a wide range of issues. The Bureau also offers a comprehensive training program, which includes case studies and brown bag lunches throughout the summer, as well as opportunities to develop strong professional relationships with attorneys and economists. Interns may be assigned to one of the following divisions: Anticompetitive Practices, Anticompetitive Practices II, Health Care, Technology Enforcement Division, Mergers I, Mergers II, Mergers III, or Mergers IV.
Candidates interested in a 2L summer position must apply through USAJobs.gov. The USAJobs.gov posting will be open in mid-July.
Candidates interested in a 1L summer position must apply through USAJobs.gov. The USAJobs.gov posting comes out in early to mid-January.
Federal Trade Commission - Bureau of Competition
Semester Legal Intern Program
The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition enforces the nation’s antitrust laws. The antitrust laws promote vigorous competition and protect consumers from anticompetitive mergers and business practices, such as monopolistic conduct, attempts to monopolize, and conspiracies in restraint of trade. The Bureau investigates potential antitrust law violations and seeks legal remedies in federal court or before the FTC’s administrative law judge. In addition to its enforcement work, the FTC provides guidance about the application of the antitrust laws to various stakeholders, including Congress, policy makers, other federal and state government agencies, foreign governments, industry participants, and the public.
The Bureau of Competition offers fall and spring semester legal internships to second- and third-year law students at its Washington, D.C. offices. Semester legal interns work closely with attorneys, economists, and other investigative staff on actual law enforcement investigations, and federal and administrative court litigations. Typical assignments include conducting legal and factual research, interviewing witnesses, writing legal memoranda, and preparing documents and exhibits.
The following divisions participate in the Semester Legal Intern Program: Mergers I, Mergers II, Mergers III, Mergers IV, Anticompetitive Practices, Anticompetitive Practices II, Health Care, and the Office of Policy and Coordination. The Anticompetitive Practices Division is accepting applications for both part-time (at least 16 hours per week) and full-time interns and prefers candidates who are available to intern in-office on Tuesdays. The Health Care Division is accepting applications for both part-time (minimum of 16 hours per week) and full-time interns but prefers full-time (or close to full-time) interns. The Mergers I, Mergers II, Mergers III, and Mergers IV Divisions are also accepting applications for both part-time (minimum of 20 hours per week) and full-time interns, but Mergers IV strongly prefers full-time candidates. Mergers I and Mergers II prefers candidates who are available to intern in-office on Thursdays. The Office of Policy & Coordination prefers full-time candidates.
For Spring 2024 semester internships, the application period will be from September 5 – October 31, 2023. For Fall 2024, the application period will be from January 22, 2024 – April 5, 2024. Interviews are scheduled and offers are extended on a rolling basis. Students are encouraged to submit their applications before the deadline. Students should apply directly to each division’s representative in which they have an interest. The representative(s) contact information is in the shop description. The following application materials are required: cover letter, resume, law school transcript, seven-page writing sample (seven-page maximum; excerpts of a longer sample permitted), and three academic or professional references. Semester internships are unpaid. All semester interns must be U.S Citizens and receive course credit for completing their internship. Interested students should contact their law schools for additional information and requirements. Division descriptions and contact information are below.
Division Descriptions and Contacts
Mergers I
The Mergers I Division investigates potentially anticompetitive conduct in the context of mergers and acquisitions. The Division reviews transactions in health care-related industries, including branded and generic pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution, medical devices, and consumer health products, as well as matters involving scientific, industrial, and consumer products. The Division has also been active in the defense, aviation, and technology markets. Contacts: Dylan Naegele (dnaegele@ftc.gov; 202-326-2433) and Lauren Gaskin (lgaskin@ftc.gov; 202-326-3106)
Mergers II
The Mergers II Division investigates potentially anticompetitive conduct in the context of mergers and acquisitions. The Division reviews transactions in a wide range of industries, from semiconductors and other high-tech hardware, to industrial chemicals, mining, commercial software, music, and video games. The Division has successfully litigated a number of merger enforcement actions in federal and administrative court, including, most recently, Tronox/Cristal and Wilhelmsen/Drew Marine Group. Contact: Frances Anne Johnson (fjohnson@ftc.gov; 202-326-3221)
Mergers III
The Mergers III Division investigates potentially anticompetitive conduct in the context of mergers and acquisitions. The Division reviews transactions in the oil, gasoline, and natural gas industries, including pipelines and terminals. In recent years, Mergers III has also reviewed mergers in other industries, including industrial spray equipment, real estate and property-related products and services, digital databases and information services, and industrial manufacturing and distribution. Mergers III also helps prepare the FTC’s annual report on concentration in the ethanol industry and enforces the Commission’s rule preventing market manipulation in wholesale petroleum markets. Contacts: Terry Thomas (tthomas1@ftc.gov; 202-326-3218) and Kelly Fabian (kfabian@ftc.gov; 202-326-3566)
Mergers IV
The Mergers IV Division investigates potentially anticompetitive conduct in the context of mergers and acquisitions. The Division reviews transactions involving health care providers, office supply distribution, food distribution, casino services, supermarkets, specialty retail stores, and consumer goods. The Division has successfully litigated a number of cases in federal and administrative court, including Hackensack Meridian Health/Englewood Health; Sanford Health/Mid Dakota Clinic; Staples/Office Depot; Advocate Health Care/NorthShore University HealthSystem; Sysco/US Foods; and ProMedica Health System/St. Luke’s Hospital. Contacts: Albert Teng (ateng@ftc.gov; 202-326-3272) and Laura Krachman (lkrachman@ftc.gov; 202-326-2895).
Anticompetitive Practices
The Anticompetitive Practices Division investigates potentially anticompetitive conduct in industries other than health care and pharmaceuticals. ACP’s work involves not only stopping illegal conduct but also shaping the law. ACP’s ongoing work includes issues related to monopolization, exclusion of small and innovative rivals, abuse of intellectual property rights, and covenants not to compete. ACP has become well- known for a series of cases involving anticompetitive conduct by members of standard-setting organizations. Contact: Patricia Jerjian (pjerjian@ftc.gov; 202-326-3019) and Karna Adam (kadam@ftc.gov; 202-326-3429)
Anticompetitive Practices II
Anticompetitive Practices Division II (ACP II) is the Bureau’s newest division. ACP II investigates potentially anticompetitive conduct and actively litigates to enforce the antitrust laws. One focus for ACP II is challenging monopolies and developing the law to reflect current economic realities. ACP II frequently collaborates with people throughout the agency, from economists to technologists to BCP. The lawyers in ACP II have a diverse set of backgrounds and deep knowledge of many different areas of antitrust law. Contact: Lily Rudy (zrudy@ftc.gov; 202-326-3390)
Health Care
The Health Care Division investigates potentially anticompetitive conduct—including price-fixing, group boycotts, exclusive dealing, monopolization, and mergers—involving physicians and other health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, and hospitals and other institutional providers. A major focus of the Division is the Commission’s effort to stop conduct that unlawfully insulates branded drugs from competition from lower-cost generic drugs. The Division also provides guidance on health care competition to policy makers, federal and foreign agencies, industry, and the public; much of this guidance is available on the Health Care webpages. Contacts: Evan Cartagena (ecartagena@ftc.gov; 202-326-2981) and Patrick Kennedy (pkennedy@ftc.gov; (202) 326-2114)
Office of Policy and Coordination
The Office of Policy and Coordination works with Bureau and Commission staff on speeches, testimony for congressional panels, appellate briefs, advisory opinions to help clarify FTC rules and decisions about competition issues, and briefing papers. OPC is also charged with incorporating racial equity and social justice into the Bureau’s and Commission’s enforcement actions and policy decisions. Contact: Synda Mark (smark@ftc.gov; 202-326-2353)