General Counsel, xAI and X
Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission
Andrew N. Ferguson was sworn in April 2, 2024 as a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission. President Joe Biden named Ferguson to a term that expires on September 25, 2030.
Ferguson most recently served as solicitor general of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Prior to that position, he served as chief counsel to U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, and as a Republican counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. He also practiced law at several Washington, D.C. law firms. He earned his undergraduate degree and law degree from the University of Virginia. After law school, Ferguson clerked for Judge Karen L. Henderson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Chief Deputy Attorney General
Ryan Newman is currently Chief Deputy Attorney General for Florida Office of the Attorney General.
During the first Trump Administration, he served as Counselor to the United States Attorney General for national security and international affairs, Deputy General Counsel (Legal Counsel) for the Department of Defense, and Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy at the Department of Justice. Prior to serving in the Executive Branch, Ryan was Chief Counsel to United States Senator Ted Cruz during the 114th Congress.
Ryan served as a law clerk to the Honorable Samuel A. Alito, Jr. on the United States Supreme Court, the Honorable Richard J. Leon on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and the Honorable J.L. Edmondson on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Prior to law school, Ryan was an armor officer in the United States Army assigned to the 1st Squadron, 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiment (Buffalo Soldiers). He deployed to Iraq in 2003 for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Ryan graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1998. He earned his law degree with high honors from The University of Texas School of Law in 2007.
Topics
Not Enforcing the Robinson-Patman Act is Lawless and Likely Harms Consumers
News reports that the Federal Trade Commission is about to bring its first enforcement action...
Open Minds with Andrew Ferguson and James Burnham
James M. Burnham, Andrew N. Ferguson
In this episode of Open Minds, Andrew Ferguson discusses his career, from judicial clerkships to...
Topics
Is the Robinson-Patman Act Good for Competition and Consumers?
The Robinson-Patman Act bans certain discriminatory discounts on price as well as the provision of or...
Topics
SEC Doesn’t Have Legal Authority for Climate Disclosure Rule
This post originally appeared at Law360. In response to multiple lawsuits in multiple federal courts...
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Return of the National Nanny or Restoration of the Cop on the Beat: The FTC’s Impending Proposed Rule on Commercial Surveillance
The FTC has adopted an expansive rulemaking agenda. A recently finalized rule banning noncompete agreements...
Open Minds: Concentrated Control, Acceptable Opinions, and Corporate Influence Part 2
Ryan Dean Newman
In Part 2 of Open Minds with Ryan Newman, we discuss government and private coercion...
Topics
The FTC’s Weak Case Against Amazon
Late last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), joined by seventeen state attorneys general, filed...
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When Facts Bear Out Theory: How Do Firms Respond to Government Efforts to Block Acquisitions of Nascent Competitors in Digital Markets?
Investors in tech start-ups are keenly attuned to their exit strategy when they obtain most...
Topics
How to Reestablish the Authority of Corporate Law in the Shareholder Proposal Process
This post originally appeared at Columbia Law School's Blue Sky Blog. The shareholder proposal process has...
Topics
Small Markets, Big Unions: Is the FTC Promoting Competition or Unions With Its Grocery Merger Complaint?
Last week, the FTC sued to block a merger between Kroger Co. and Albertsons. The...