US: Ohlhausen named acting chair, leaving 3 open seats at FTC

President Donald J. Trump has designated Maureen K. Ohlhausen as Acting Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission by a White House order.

“I am deeply honored that President Trump has asked me to serve as Acting Chairman of the FTC and to preserve America’s true engine of prosperity: a free, honest, and competitive marketplace,” Acting Chairman Ohlhausen said. “In pursuit of that mission, I will work to protect all consumers from fraud, deception, and unfair practices. I will safeguard competition while preserving American innovation and promoting economic liberty for all citizens. Finally, I will ensure the Commission minimizes the burdens on legitimate business as we carry out this vital work.”

Ohlhausen was sworn in as a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission on April 4, 2012, to a term that expires in September 2018.

Prior to joining the Commission, Ohlhausen was a partner at Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, where she headed the firm’s FTC practice focusing on privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity matters.

Ohlhausen previously served at the FTC for 11 years, most recently as Director of the Office of Policy Planning from 2004 to 2008, where she led the FTC’s Internet Access Task Force. She was also Deputy Director of that office. From 1998 to 2001, Ohlhausen was an attorney advisor for former FTC Commissioner Orson Swindle, advising him on competition and consumer protection matters. She started at the FTC General Counsel’s Office in 1997.

Prior to serving at the FTC, Ohlhausen spent five years at the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, serving as a law clerk for Judge David B. Sentelle and as a staff attorney. Ohlhausen also clerked for Judge Robert Yock of the US Court of Federal Claims from 1991 to 1992.

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