Working for the Bureau of Competition
Candidates must be U.S. citizens to be eligible for a position in the Bureau of Competition.
One of the “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government,” the Federal Trade Commission is the place to be for talented attorneys and law students who are passionate about antitrust law, preserving competitive markets, and protecting American consumers. Bureau of Competition attorneys are among the best in the antitrust world and their work ensures that our markets are open and free, allowing for lower prices and better quality goods and services.
The FTC is an independent agency, and the Bureau of Competition is dedicated to preventing anticompetitive mergers and business conduct that can lead to higher prices, reduced service, less innovation, and fewer choices for consumers. Our attorneys and interns work with economists in collaborative teams to investigate unlawful business practices and, when necessary, bring cases through the Commission's administrative process or in federal court.
Our collegial and inclusive work environment, early opportunities to take on meaningful assignments, commitment to training and professional development, and excellent federal benefits package are among the key reasons why we have been consistently named a “Top 10 Agency” by the Partnership for Public Service.
The Bureau of Competition coordinates a highly selective recruitment program and places new attorneys in its enforcement divisions. These divisions are differentiated by the markets they investigate.
- Mergers I: Health care related industries, including brand-name and generic pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution, medical devices, and consumer health products. The division also reviews markets for defense, scientific, industrial, and consumer products.
- Mergers II: A wide range of industries, from semiconductors and other high-tech hardware, to industrial chemicals, mining, commercial software, music, and video games.
- Mergers III: Energy, oil, gasoline, and natural gas industries. The division also reviews a range of other industries including real estate and property-related products and services, digital databases and information services, and industrial manufacturing and distribution.
- Mergers IV: Hospitals, physicians, office supply distribution, food distribution, supermarkets, specialty retail stores, consumer goods, and casinos.
- Health Care: Physicians and other health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, institutional providers, and insurers. The division also reviews mergers involving health care products and services.
- Anticompetitive Practices: Anticompetitive conduct, with an emphasis on issues of intellectual property rights, attempts by professional and regulatory boards to limit competition, immunities from and exceptions to the antitrust laws, and industry standard setting.
- Technology Enforcement Division: Anticompetitive Conduct (and consummated mergers), with a focus on markets in which digital technology is an important dimension of competition, such as online platforms, digital advertising, social networking, software, operating systems, and streaming services.
- Compliance: Competition orders and appropriate remedies for unlawful mergers or anticompetitive practices.
Training, Professional Development and Benefits
The Bureau of Competition is committed to providing the best opportunities and benefits for its staff. We offer extensive training and professional development sessions via the Bureau of Competition Training Council (BCTC), as well as a comprehensive benefits package. The BCTC is comprised of representatives from throughout BC and the regional offices that meet regularly and consult with BC management to establish training priorities and areas of staff interest, develop an annual training curriculum and deliver training programs for BC staff and other Commission participants.
Training
Comprehensive entry-level attorney training program:
- Deposition skills
- Trial advocacy skills
- Economic analysis
- Negotiations
- Litigation skills for Federal District and Administrative Court
Professional Development
- Bureau-wide Mentoring Program
- United States Attorney Detail Program
- Paid attendance at professional meetings and conferences
- Continuing legal education
- Speaking opportunities
Benefits
- Health/Dental/Vision Insurance
- Loan forgiveness program
- Flexible
- Much More
