FTC's Joseph Simons, DOJ's Makan Delrahim to speak at ABA Antitrust Tech Summit
Joseph J. Simons, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and Makan Delrahim, assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, will keynote the American Bar Association’s 2019 Antitrust Fall Forum: Tech Summit to be held Nov. 18 in Washington, D.C.
Simons will speak from 11-11:15 a.m., with Delrahim speaking from 3:45-4 p.m. The two antitrust enforcers recently testified before a Senate committee hearing that a longstanding power-sharing agreement between
them has been strained as their two agencies figure out how to divide up investigations of the country’s big technology companies.
Other federal officials participating include FTC commissioners, DOJ officials and a member of the Antitrust Division of the Office of the Texas Attorney General.
This year’s forum will focus on key antitrust and consumer protection issues raised by the digital economy in the U.S. and abroad. Technologists from industry and academia, corporate innovators as well as legal experts will discuss the implications of big data; algorithmic fairness, prediction and collusion; the role of IP, platforms and multi-sided-markets; and the best course to foster competition and consumer protection in the digital economy in the future.
Program highlights include:
• “In Data We Trust? The Technologies Shaping Law Today ... and Tomorrow” — R. David Edelman, director, Project of Technology Economy & National Security, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will kick off the day with a presentation about the future of big data and AI.
• “Data Analytics” — This panel, including speakers from Microsoft and Deloitte, will examine what big data is and how sophisticated analytics, like machine learning and artificial intelligence, foster the development of innovative products and services and provide for greater insights into market trends. Panelists, including experts from the Future of Privacy Forum and Northwell Health, will also talk about the current rules surrounding big data and analytics.
• “Data as an Asset” — Panelists, including FTC Commissioner Rebecca K. Slaughter and former FTC acting chair Maureen K. Ohlhausen, now with Baker Botts LLP in Washington D.C., will discuss how the increasing importance of consumer data impact competition enforcement, if regulations that protect consumers’ privacy have kept up and how they interact with competition factors.
• “Big Data & Platforms” — This panel, including FTC Commissioner Noah J. Phillips, will discuss how multi-sided markets affect reviews of mergers and acquisitions. The panel will also discuss what if any consideration should be given to the insight the platform gains as the interface between buyers and sellers.
• “IP & Antitrust” — Panelists, including Suzanne D. Munck, the FTC’s deputy director and chief counsel for Intellectual Property for the Office of Policy Planning, and William Rinner, chief of staff and senior advisor for the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, will discuss how antitrust and intellectual property interact in high tech industries. This panel will discuss these trends and offer views on what may lie ahead for the IP, antirust and tech landscape.
• “A Competitive Future” — This panel will examine whether competition rules and enforcement need to change for the digital economy. Panelists include FTC Commissioner Christine S. Wilson; Barry A. Nigro, Jr., principal deputy assistant attorney general in the DOJ Antitrust Division; Kim Van Winkle, division chief, Antitrust Division, Office of the Texas Attorney General; Michael Kades, director for markets and competition policy, Washington Center for Equitable Growth; and Svetlana S. Gans, vice president and associate general counsel, NCTA - The Internet & Television Association.
Immigration, #MeToo and implicit bias top issues at ABA construction meeting in Philadelphia
Legal experts in construction, engineering and architecture will discuss the importance and business implications of inclusion, diversity and professionalism in the construction industry at a first-of-its-kind American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law Fall Meeting, Oct. 23-25 in Philadelphia.
Other issues related to the intergenerational workforce; multi-cultural workforce; and minority, women and disadvantaged business enterprise relationships will also be discussed.
Program highlights include:
• “What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You” — Tips on techniques for identifying bias and systemic issues that lower a company’s bottom line will be discussed.
• “Where Does the Construction Industry Stand: A Candid Conversation with Industry Leaders about Inclusion, Diversity, & Professionalism” — This panel will discuss how the construction industry is doing in its efforts toward inclusion, diversity and professionalism.
• “Immigration Issues in the Construction Industry” — Find out how illegal immigration and non-compliant employers are making an impact on the construction industry. This panel will explore real issues surrounding the construction workforce and discuss ways to improve it.
