Howard Shelanski
National authority on antitrust and regulation. High-level experience at the FTC, the FCC and the White House.
Howard is one of the nation’s leading authorities on antitrust and regulation, with high-level experience at the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission and in the Executive Branch. He is also a Professor of Law at Georgetown University.
Howard regularly advises clients on the antitrust aspects of their most important mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships across a range of industries. He also represents clients in conduct investigations by federal, state and non-U.S. antitrust authorities, and provides counsel on a variety of general competition and regulatory matters.
From 2013 to 2017, Howard served as Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Before that, he was Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Economics. Howard also served as the FCC’s Chief Economist and as a Senior Economist for the President’s Council of Economic Advisers.
Howard was recognized as a “Washington DC Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal in 2020.
Experience highlights
- IHS Markit on its $44 billion all-stock merger with S&P Global
- TPG in its acquisitions of Centrify and Thycotic
- Several innovative technology companies in third-party investigations by the U.S. antitrust authorities
- The Charles Schwab Corporation on its $26 billion acquisition of TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation
- Lead counsel for one of the world’s largest technology companies in a major government investigation
- Roche on its $4.3 billion acquisition of Spark Therapeutics
- Advanced Accelerator Applications on its $3.9 billion acquisition by Novartis
- A major biotechnology company on various pricing, exclusivity, and other contracting issues
- Services Group of America on the $1.8 billion sale of its five operating companies collectively known as SGA’s Food Group of Companies to US Foods
- Tyson Foods on its $4.2 billion acquisition of AdvancePierre Foods
- Natura on its $3.5 billion acquisition of Avon Products
- Aetna on its $77 billion acquisition by CVS Health
- Heineken on its non-binding agreements with China Resources Enterprise and China Resources Beer (Holdings) to create a long-term strategic partnership in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau
- Williams on its $1.125 billion combined sale of assets and equity comprising Williams Partners L.P.’s Four Corners Area business in New Mexico and Colorado to Harvest Midstream Company
- Millicom on its $1.65 billion acquisition of Telefónica assets in Latin America
- Tencent and Tencent Music Entertainment in connection with their equity investments with Spotify and their strategic investment in Universal Music Group
- IHS Markit on its $1.855 billion acquisition of Ipreo from private equity funds managed by Blackstone and the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division
- Aptiv PLC on its $650 million acquisition of Winchester Interconnect from an affiliate of Snow Phipps Group
Insights
News
Credentials
Recognition
National Law Journal – “Washington DC Trailblazer,” 2020
National Law Journal – “Mergers & Acquisitions and Antitrust Trailblazer,” 2018
Chambers USA – Antitrust, District of Columbia
Education
- Order of the Coif
Clerkships
Professional history
- Partner, Davis Polk, 2017-present
- Professor of Law, Georgetown University, 2011-present
- Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, White House Office of Management and Budget, 2013-2017
- Director, Bureau of Economics, Federal Trade Commission, 2012-2013
- Counsel, Davis Polk, 2011-2012
- Deputy Director, Bureau of Economics, Federal Trade Commission, 2009-2011
- Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley, 1997-2009
- Chief Economist, Federal Communications Commission, 1999-2000
- Senior Economist, White House Council of Economic Advisers, 1998-1999
Qualifications and admissions
- District of Columbia