Former DOJ Antitrust Official Joins Skadden

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 19, 2012 – Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP announced today that Sharis A. Pozen, former Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, is joining the firm's global Antitrust and Competition practice in Washington, D.C. Ms. Pozen joined the DOJ as Chief of Staff and Counsel in 2009 and was appointed as Assistant Acting Attorney General in August 2011.  She has led numerous high-profile enforcement and competition matters, most recently overseeing the DOJ's successful effort to block AT&T's proposed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile.  During her tenure as head of the Division, the Division also achieved one of its most important litigation victories in securing an injunction to block H&R Block's acquisition of TaxAct.  She also has represented the United States on international competition issues within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Competition Network. 

As part of the firm's global Antitrust Group leadership, Ms. Pozen will play a key role in directing the ongoing growth and development of the practice.  Previously, she was a partner at a major Washington, D.C.-based firm, where she served as a leader of the firm's antitrust group.  Ms. Pozen's practice focused on trade regulation and antitrust issues across a broad spectrum of national and multinational industries including technology, health care and life sciences.

"Sharis is an ideal addition to our Antitrust and Competition Group," said Shepard Goldfein, Skadden's global Antitrust and Competition practice leader.  "Her wide-ranging experience in both the public sector and private practice truly complement our existing capabilities."

Steven C. Sunshine, North American group leader of Skadden's Antitrust and Competition practice, added, "Sharis' ability to help companies in a vast array of industries navigate complex antitrust enforcement policies and programs – including merger reviews, criminal and civil enforcement and competition advocacy – will provide extraordinary value to our clients.   We look forward to welcoming her as one of the leaders of our practice."

"Skadden's global client base and extensive range of practices is unmatched," said Ms. Pozen. "The firm's antitrust practice is widely regarded as best-in-class, and I look forward to working with such a well-regarded group of attorneys." 

Ms. Pozen held several positions at the Federal Trade Commission, where she began her professional career in 1989 as a staff attorney in the FTC's Merger Litigation Division.  Subsequently, she served as Assistant to the Director of the Bureau of Competition, Attorney Advisor to FTC Commissioner Dennis A. Yao, and finally, Attorney Advisor to FTC Commissioner Christine Varney.

A graduate of Washington University Law School in St. Louis, Ms. Pozen earned her undergraduate degree from Connecticut College.