WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Charles A. James, Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, today announced that Michael L. Katz will serve as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economic Analysis in the Antitrust Division.

"Michael Katz is a leading scholar with extensive experience in issues important to the Antitrust Division," James said. "His keen insight will be of great advantage to the Department as we work to protect competition in today's global economy. We are privileged to have him join us."

As Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Katz will supervise all economic analysis within the Antitrust Division and direct the Division's Economic Analysis Group.

Since 1987, he has served as a professor at the University of California at Berkeley. He currently holds a joint appointment as a professor of both economics and business administration. In addition to his research on competitive strategy in systems markets, vertical integration, cooperative research and development and antitrust in high-tech industries, he also directs the school's Center for Telecommunications and Digital Convergence. In both 1989 and 1993, he was awarded the Earl F. Cheit Outstanding Teaching Award.

From 1994 to 1996, Katz served as Chief Economist at the Federal Communications Commission, where he was responsible for integrating economic analysis into all aspects of Commission policy making. He formulated and implemented regulatory policies for all industries under the FCC's jurisdiction, including cable and broadcast television and local, long distance and wireless telephony. In 1996 he was recognized with the Chairman's Special Achievement Award for his excellence in service at the Commission.

From 1981-1987 he worked as an assistant professor of economics at Princeton University, devoting his research to sophisticated pricing, standards development, cooperative R&D and intellectual property licensing, and teaching courses in microeconomics, industrial organization and antitrust issues.

He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University in 1978, where he was awarded a prize for the top graduate in economics. He received his PhD from Oxford University in 1982. A frequent lecturer and author of numerous articles on antitrust and consumer issues, Katz is also co-editor of the California Management Review and the Journal of Economics and Management Strategy.

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