Makan Delrahim, JD '95, returned to his alma mater for a discussion on his unique personal and professional journey—covering his career as Chief Counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, a successful attorney in private practice, and senior position in the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the White House in two administrations. The event, which was hosted by Chabad GW, together with the Antitrust Law Association and the Jewish Law Students Association, allowed students in the audience to learn more about Mr. Delrahim's role at the DOJ's Antitrust Division, and they were able to ask him questions.
Mr. Delrahim was joined by William E. Kovacic, Global Competition Professor of Law and Policy, and Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President, American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) and Founder, Chabad GW. Mr. Delrahim spoke about his early beginnings and recounts his experience emigrating from the United States from Iran at the age of nine during the time of the Iranian revolution. When he arrived, he spoke no English and spent his teenage years in California. Mr. Delrahim graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, and went on to earn his legal degree at GW Law.
On September 27, 2017, Mr. Delrahim was confirmed as the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division. Mr. Delrahim previously served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy White House Counsel. His antitrust background covers the full range of industries, issues, and institutions touched upon by the work of the Antitrust Division. He is a former partner in the Los Angeles office of a national law firm. Mr. Delrahim served in the Antitrust Division from 2003 to 2005 as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General, overseeing the Appellate, Foreign Commerce, and Legal Policy sections. Professor Kovacic praised Mr. Delrahim for building "an important bridge across a number of different divides."
As the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division, Mr. Delrahim spoke about the importance of reconstructing a healthier civic society, and recreating a sense of common understanding and tolerance in the U.S. political process. There are different policy views regarding international diplomacy or domestic diplomacy, which is why he emphasized the importance of building personal relationships. Mr. Delrahim shared that he's a believer in the idea of colleagues and other public officials getting to know each other, saying, "I wish members of Congress would have more social events in a bipartisan way, rather than going off into their groups," he said.
In his new role, Mr. Delrahim explained that he would like to improve the division, and by the time his service ends, he wants to leave it as a better institution. But for now, with Mr. Delrahim in charge, "antitrust enforcement – at least at the DOJ – is likely to reflect the type of restraint and faith in the free market that we have witnessed in prior Republican administrations," lawyers for Steptoe & Johnson LLP wrote in an analysis published online earlier last year.
Currently, Mr. Delrahim is currently at helm of the Justice Department's biggest competition case since the late 1990s. To read more about him and AT&T Inc.'s planned acquisition of Time Warner Inc., visit this page.