Meta Names Ex-Justice Department Official to Lead Global Litigation Strategy

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has appointed Ethan Davis, a former senior U.S. Justice Department official under Donald Trump’s administration, to oversee its global litigation strategy. Davis, previously a partner at law firm King & Spalding in San Francisco, will take on the role as Meta navigates complex legal battles, according to a Reuters report.

Davis joined King & Spalding in 2020, where he worked with high-profile clients including Walmart and baby food manufacturer Beech-Nut Nutrition Company. His experience spans both the private and public sectors, including a stint as acting head of the Justice Department’s civil division from 2017 to 2020. During that time, he briefly left his post to clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch in 2018. Neither Meta nor King & Spalding provided further comments on the appointment, per Reuters. Davis himself did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The leadership change comes as Meta deals with a growing number of legal challenges. In April, the company is set to face a pivotal trial in federal court in Washington, D.C., where U.S. regulators are pushing to unwind its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) argues that the deals were anti-competitive and stifled innovation. Meta, like other tech giants, is also battling lawsuits that allege its platforms contribute to mental health issues in young users by fostering addictive behaviors. The company has denied these claims.

Read more: EU Rebukes Meta CEO’s Claims of Censorship Under Digital Services Act

Meta’s legal team has undergone significant restructuring in recent months. In December, the company appointed Mike Haven, a former Intel legal executive, as its global head of legal operations. Just last week, Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican figure and Meta’s longtime policy head, was promoted to chief global affairs officer, succeeding former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.

Meta’s latest appointment of Davis highlights the company’s strategy of hiring experienced legal minds with political ties. King & Spalding, where Davis previously worked, is known for its bipartisan roster of legal professionals. The firm includes former deputy U.S. attorney general Rod Rosenstein, a Republican, and Sally Yates, who held the same position during Barack Obama’s presidency.

In addition to reshaping its legal team, Meta recently made headlines with a controversial policy shift. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the company would end its U.S. fact-checking program and relax restrictions on discussions involving contentious issues like immigration and gender identity. The move is part of Meta’s broader effort to redefine content moderation policies amid criticism from both sides of the political spectrum.

Per Reuters, Davis’ expertise in managing high-stakes litigation will be critical as Meta faces mounting scrutiny from regulators, lawmakers, and plaintiffs’ lawyers.

Source: Reuters