A Conversation with Gail Levine, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition at the FTC
On Thursday, November 15, 2018, Gail Levine, recently-appointed Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), joined students in the Business Law Program for lunch and a conversation. Prior to joining the FTC, Gail was one of Uber’s top lawyers, working as Director of U.S. Regulatory Affairs and as Global Chief Competition Counsel; before her work at Uber, she was Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Verizon Communications, Inc.
This event was organized as part of the Business Law Program’s Conversations Series, which affords students and faculty members the opportunity to join an informal exchange with leaders and policymakers at the forefront of business law. The program is limited to ten people to allow easy dialogue. During these conversations, students ask about the guest’s daily work, career path, specialized work projects, and broader outlook.
During the luncheon, Gail described the benefits that she experienced from working in the private sector before switching to regulatory work for the U.S. government. She shared that her experience in the private sector helps her relate to companies and helps her to understand the choices they make. Gail also thoughtfully addressed the overlap and tension between the FTC’s antitrust arm and the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the FTC’s consumer protection arm and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Finally, Gail talked about growing fields of law and discussed global issues, such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the European unitary patent system.
Gail joins a distinguished list of Conversations Series leaders, which includes SEC Commissioner Michael Piwowar; Bob Stern ('83), SVP and General Counsel of Sodexo, the world's 19th largest employer; and former United States Solicitor General Gregory G. Garre.
To stay informed about future Conversations Series and other Business Law Program events, join the Business Law Program’s Faculty Practice Group.