Exclusive: DoJ antitrust chief reveals plans to leave in 2021

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Exclusive: DoJ antitrust chief reveals plans to leave in 2021

Makan Delrahim, the head of the US Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division

In an exclusive interview, assistant attorney general Makan Delrahim says he will leave the Department of Justice at the end of Trump’s first term, whether the president wins the election or not

Makan Delrahim, the head of the US Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, has told Managing IP that he plans to step down after Donald Trump’s first term, whether the president wins or loses the election on November 3.

In an exclusive interview, Delrahim said: “My plans have been to leave at the end of this president's first term. Regardless of the outcome of the election, I anticipate that there will be someone else in my seat in the next year.”

Managing IP will publish the full interview with Delrahim, in which he talks about why he is leaving the DoJ, his record at the department and what he thinks about criticism of his approach to antitrust enforcement of standard essential patents, next week. 

Delrahim, who was appointed to his role as assistant attorney general in September 2017, was also interviewed by this publication in 2018.

He spoke about his commitment to the New Madison approach, which sets out that antitrust law should not be used as a tool to police FRAND commitments that patent-holders unilaterally make to standard setting organisations, and other plans for his term at the DoJ.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

The tie-up will add around 10 US-based partners to Herbert Smith Freehills’ IP offering
Colleen Tracy James, who joined as co-chair of the life sciences patent litigation group a little over a year ago, reveals her thoughts on hiring associates and AI
OpenAI's latest arguments at the Delhi High Court and a victory for Under Armour were also among the top talking points this week
Andrea Stone explains how her in-house experience gives her a unique perspective, and why Ballard Spahr’s combination with Lane Powell made it an ideal time to join
The pair had been fighting in multiple jurisdictions but have agreed to settle all litigation
Law firms may try to relate PTAB briefs to broader economic concerns in response to the USPTO’s latest guidance
IP Inclusive’s 10-year celebration provides reasons to be positive in the face of troubling attacks against DEI initiatives
Microsoft allegedly uses the HEVC technology in a range of products and offers an extension as an add-on
A group of five lawyers who joined Cleary Gottlieb say they want to help expand the firm’s IP litigation practice
As we build up to another busy year for the IP STARS rankings and our Managing IP Awards, we assess some of the major IP firms and trends in Germany
Gift this article