Baker Botts L.L.P., a leading international technology, energy and life sciences law firm, announced today that Taylor M. Owings has joined the Antitrust Section of the Litigation Department as a partner in Washington, D.C.
She was formerly the Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. In that role, she worked closely with all sections in the Antitrust Division to enforce the antitrust laws and to implement the Assistant Attorney General’s strategic initiatives to advance competition policy. Owings was a critical member of the Department of Justice’s leadership team reviewing the business practices of market-leading online platforms. She oversaw a reorganization of the Division, and advised on policy initiatives such as the revamped vertical merger guidelines, the modernized merger remedies manual, guidance on the use of arbitration to resolve merger challenges, and the revitalized amicus program.
Owings is the sixth lateral lawyer to join Baker Botts’ Washington, D.C. office this year.
Owings brings to the firm special experience on cases involving the digital economy. At the Antitrust Division, she worked closely with the Technology & Digital Platforms Section, the San Francisco Office, the Appellate Section, and the Competition Policy & Advocacy Section to ensure a cohesive approach to the application of the antitrust laws to industries characterized by rapid technological change, network effects, data accumulation and dynamic competition. She also helped to brief Congress in response to questions about the digital economy and worked directly on case teams in several investigations. In addition to this experience, Owings has represented private clients from the digital services and high-tech sectors. She has a wide variety of experience with antitrust conduct investigations and merger reviews, both in front of the government and in federal court.
“Taylor has valuable, first-hand knowledge of issues that antitrust enforcers and policymakers are likely to raise in relation to technology platform companies in the digital economy,” said John Martin, Managing Partner of Baker Botts. “Her arrival will not only help us fortify our world-class Antitrust practice, but will also help us continue to build our strong client base in the tech sector, a key area of our future growth.”
“With her significant government experience and substantive background, Taylor will immediately serve our existing clients and help expand our impressive client base even further,” said Maureen Ohlhausen, Chair of Baker Botts’ Global Antitrust and Competition Practice. “In addition, Taylor has high-level DOJ exposure to key antitrust issues, particularly those at the intersection of antitrust and IP law.”
Owings joined the DOJ’s Antitrust Division in 2018, as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General. She was promoted to Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General last year. She earned her B.A. from Harvard University, where she graduated magna cum laude. She received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif. Prior to attending law school, Owings received an M.Sc. in Regulation, with merit, from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences.
“I am honored to join the partnership at Baker Botts. Throughout my career, I have been continually impressed by the deeply knowledgeable antitrust practitioners at this firm,” Owings said. “At a time when the boundaries of antitrust law are up for debate, I am especially enthusiastic to work with colleagues who are comfortable tackling difficult questions of policy, doctrine and economics. I look forward to contributing to Baker Botts’ tradition of serving technology clients with the most forward-thinking solutions to complex issues.”
In a time of increased global business activity, virtually every significant commercial transaction, business strategy and marketplace activity in some way implicates antitrust and competition laws in the United States, Europe or other jurisdictions. Baker Botts’ highly ranked group of antitrust and competition lawyers regularly handles the highest-profile, “bet the company” matters such as Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH’s $12.6 billion business swap with Sanofi, Dresser-Rand’s $7.6 billion merger with Siemens and MeadWestvaco’s $16 billion merger with RockTenn.
