President Joe Biden has nominated Utah Law alumna Melissa Holyoak, who currently serves as Utah Solicitor General, as a nominee for Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Holyoak graduated from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in 2002 as a member of the Order of the Coif and the Law Review.
If confirmed to her position by the U.S. Senate, Holyoak will serve among four other commissioners in the FTC, whose mission is to stop anticompetitive, deceptive, or unfair business practices. Commissioners typically serve seven-year terms, according to an FTC announcement.
“I congratulate Andrew Ferguson and Melissa Holyoak on their nominations to serve on the Federal Trade Commission. Each would bring key skills, experiences, and expertise to the Commission as we work to promote fair competition and protect Americans from unfair or deceptive practices,” said Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan in the announcement. “The Commission operates best at full strength, and I look forward to working with them to fulfill the important mandate Congress has given us.”
Holyoak currently serves as the Utah Solicitor General with the Utah Attorney General’s office and previously served as president and general counsel of Washington, D.C.-based public interest firm Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, representing consumers challenging unfair class actions and regulatory overreach. She also worked as a public interest attorney with the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Center for Class Action Fairness and worked as an associate with O’Melveny & Myers LLP.
“I’m proud to congratulate alumna Melissa Holyoak on her nomination to the Federal Trade Commission,” said Elizabeth Kronk Warner, dean of the S.J. Quinney College of Law. “I’m especially excited that Melissa will join two other women commissioners at the FTC, as this continues to promote female leadership throughout the field of law.”
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