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cvarney@hhlaw.com

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Christine A. Varney
Partner, Washington, D.C.

Christine Varney rejoined Hogan & Hartson in 1997, after five years in government service, to head the firm's Internet practice group. This practice provides full service assistance to companies doing business globally, including providing advice on antitrust, privacy, business planning and corporate governance, intellectual property, and general liability issues. Christine has provided antitrust, competition policy, and regulatory advice to a variety of companies, including eBay, Fox Interactive Media/MySpace, Orbitz Worldwide, Inc., DoubleClick, Ernst & Young, EMI, Intelius, Advertising.com, American Hospital Association, Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive, Dow Jones & Company, AOL, Synopsys, Compaq Computer, Gateway, Netscape, The Liberty Alliance, and Real Networks.

In addition, Christine has been instrumental in the founding of several industry self-regulation associations, including the Network Advertising Initiative and Online Privacy Alliance, working to create Internet best practices policies. She has received extensive media attention for the caliber of her work, including recognition in Chambers USA 2007, where she is considered “widely respected,” particularly on Internet and privacy issues.

During her U.S. government tenure, Christine served as a Federal Trade Commissioner from 1994 to 1997. At the Federal Trade Commission, she was a leading official on a wide variety of Internet issues. She also pioneered the application of innovation market theory analysis to transactions in both electronic high technology and biotechnology. She led the government's effort to examine privacy issues in the information age, resulting in congressional and agency hearings, proposed industry standards, and increased government enforcement of laws protecting privacy.

Prior to becoming a Federal Trade Commissioner, Christine was an Assistant to the President and Secretary to the Cabinet. She was the primary point of contact for the 20-member Cabinet. She was responsible for the overall coordination of several major issues and initiatives between the White House and various agencies.

Before joining the Clinton Administration, Christine practiced law with Hogan & Hartson. In addition, she served as Chief Counsel to the Clinton/Gore Campaign, General Counsel to the 1992 Presidential Inaugural Committee, and General Counsel to the Democratic National Committee from 1989 to 1992.

Christine lectures extensively, both in the United States and abroad, on various legal issues in American politics. She is also involved in an ongoing international dialogue on comparative political processes and competition policy with foreign government officials through the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). She regularly contributes to a variety of publications, including Newsweek, Antitrust Magazine, and Wired.

Representative Experience
Provided antitrust, regulatory, competition policy, and consumer protection advice to multinational content, technology, and commerce businesses, including eBay, DoubleClick, Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive, Dow Jones & Company, AOL, Synopsys, Compaq Computer, Gateway, Netscape, and Real Networks.
 
Provided antitrust and data protection advice to the Liberty Alliance, a consortium of more than 160 technology and consumer-facing organizations formed in September 2001 to establish an open standard for federated network identity.
 
Provided antitrust and data protection advice to the Online Privacy Alliance, a nonprofit organization of more than 30 global corporations and associations that have come together to introduce and promote business-wide actions that create an environment of trust and foster the protection of individuals' privacy online.
 
Provided antitrust and data protection advice to the Network Advertising Initiative, a group of network advertising companies that developed self-regulatory principles to govern their information collection practices.

Hogan & Hartson Publications
08.28.2008 "Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 InPrivate Browsing May Affect Online Activities." Privacy Update, Hogan & Hartson LLP

08.05.2008 "Privacy & Data Security Briefing: Issue 4." Privacy & Data Security Briefing, Hogan & Hartson LLP

06.04.2008 "Privacy & Data Security Briefing: Issue 3." Privacy & Data Security Briefing, Hogan & Hartson LLP

05.19.2008 "CAN-SPAM Discretionary Rule Released." Privacy Update, Hogan & Hartson LLP

04.04.2008 "Privacy & Data Security Briefing: Issue 2." Privacy & Data Security Briefing, Hogan & Hartson LLP

02.05.2008 "Privacy & Data Security Briefing: Issue 1." Privacy & Data Security Briefing, Hogan & Hartson LLP

12.21.2007 "FTC Staff Releases Draft Online Behavioral Advertising Privacy Principles for Comment." Privacy Update, Hogan & Hartson LLP

11.09.2007 "FTC Examines Behavioral Advertising at Town Hall Meeting." Privacy Update, Hogan & Hartson LLP

01.31.2007 "Law Enforcement Settlement With Advertisers That Relied on Another Company's Deceptive Adware Programs to Deliver Ads." Privacy Update, Hogan & Hartson LLP

11.03.2006 "FTC Announces Settlement With Online Media Company Zango, Inc." Privacy Update, Hogan & Hartson LLP

12.17.2004 "FTC Defines the "Primary Purpose" of Commercial E-mails." Privacy Update, Hogan & Hartson LLP

Published Works
July 2008 "CAN-SPAM Discretionary Rule Released." Privacy & Data Security Law Journal

PRACTICES/INDUSTRIES
Antitrust, Competition, and Consumer Protection
Privacy
Oversight and Investigations
AREAS OF FOCUS
  • Advertising and Consumer Protection
  • Antitrust, Mergers, and Acquisitions
  • Civil Investigations
  • Privacy
EDUCATION
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1986 M.P.A., magna cum laude, Syracuse University, 1978 B.A., The State University of New York, University at Albany, 1977
MEMBERSHIPS
  • Member, Committee on Election Law, American Bar Association 
  • Chairman, Committee on Election Law, American Bar Association
  • Member, Antitrust Section, American Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association 
  • Member, National Lawyers’ Counsel
  • Secretary/Treasurer, Vice-President's Residence Foundation
AWARDS/RANKINGS
  • Chambers USA, Privacy and Data Security, 2007-2008; Competition and Antitrust, 2004-2008
  • Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers, 2008
  • International Who's Who of Competition Lawyers and Economists, 2004
BAR ADMISSIONS District of Columbia New York