Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Lina Khan

Discover the career path of Lina Khan, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Lina Khan is a legal scholar who served as chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 2021 to 2025. Currently an associate professor at Columbia Law School, she gained prominence for her work challenging the market power of large technology companies. Her scholarship has focused on antitrust law and competition policy, advocating for stronger enforcement to address issues like monopolies and anti-competitive practices. Khan's appointment to the FTC signaled a shift towards a more aggressive approach to regulating big tech, aiming to promote fair competition and protect consumers.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1978: Publication of "The Antitrust Paradox"

In 1978, Robert Bork's book "The Antitrust Paradox" was published, which established the consumer-welfare standard that Lina Khan critiqued in her later work.

1991: Dennis Yao Joins the FTC

Dennis Yao served on the FTC from 1991 to 1994, before Lina Khan.

1994: Dennis Yao Leaves the FTC

Dennis Yao served on the FTC from 1991 to 1994, before Lina Khan.

2010: Joins New America Foundation

In 2010, Lina Khan began working at the New America Foundation, engaging in anti-monopoly research and writing for Barry Lynn at the Open Markets Program.

2013: Joshua Wright's FTC Service

From 2013 to 2015, Joshua Wright served on the FTC, later criticizing Lina Khan's work as "hipster antitrust."

2014: Departure from New America Foundation

In 2014, Lina Khan concluded her work at the New America Foundation, where she had been involved in anti-monopoly research and writing.

2015: Joshua Wright's FTC Service

From 2013 to 2015, Joshua Wright served on the FTC, later criticizing Lina Khan's work as "hipster antitrust."

2017: Publication of "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox" in Yale Law Journal

In 2017, Lina Khan's student article "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox" was published in the Yale Law Journal, gaining significant attention in legal and business circles.

2017: Publication of "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox"

In 2017, while at Yale Law School, Lina Khan published her essay "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox", which gained her recognition in antitrust and competition law circles.

September 2018: Article Popularity and Praise

As of September 2018, Lina Khan's article "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox" had received significant attention, and was praised by Makan Delrahim for its fresh thinking on applying legal tools to new digital platforms.

2018: Politico 50 recognition

In 2018, Lina Khan was recognized as "a leader of a new school of antitrust thought" by Politico, featuring her in its "Politico 50" list of influential thinkers. She was also described by New York magazine as "indisputably the most powerful figure in the anti-monopoly vanguard" in 2018.

2018: Antitrust Writing Award

In 2018, Lina Khan won the Antitrust Writing Award for "Best Academic Unilateral Conduct Article" for her work on "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox".

2018: Legal Fellow at FTC

In 2018, Lina Khan worked as a legal fellow at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the office of Commissioner Rohit Chopra, gaining practical experience in the field.

2018: Rohit Chopra Joins the FTC

Rohit Chopra served on the FTC from 2018 to 2021, before Lina Khan.

2019: Counsel to House Judiciary Committee

In 2019, Lina Khan began serving as counsel to the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law, leading the congressional investigation into digital markets.

July 2020: Joins Columbia Law School Faculty

In July 2020, Lina Khan joined Columbia Law School's faculty as an associate professor of law, furthering her academic career.

2020: High Employee Satisfaction at FTC

In 2020, prior to Lina Khan's tenure, the FTC ranked highly in workplace rankings, with 94.3% of FTC staff having favorable views of senior leadership.

March 2021: Nomination to the FTC

In March 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Lina Khan to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

March 22, 2021: Nomination as FTC Commissioner

On March 22, 2021, Joe Biden announced his nomination of Lina Khan to be a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

June 15, 2021: Confirmation by the Senate

On June 15, 2021, Lina Khan's nomination to the FTC was confirmed by the Senate, leading to her appointment as chairperson of the FTC.

2021: FTC Enforces Right to Repair

In 2021, under Lina Khan's leadership, the FTC voted unanimously to enforce the right to repair and consider action against companies limiting independent repair shops.

July 2023: Khan Testifies Before House Committee

In July 2023, Lina Khan testified before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, where her actions and the FTC's were defended by Democrats.

December 2023: FTC blocks Illumina's acquisition of Grail

In December 2023, the FTC won its first major challenge in court by blocking Illumina's acquisition of Grail after a 3-year legal battle.

2023: Congressional Hearing on Antitrust Enforcement

In a 2023 Congressional hearing, Lina Khan denied accusations that she brought cases that she expected to lose but acknowledged risks in her aggressive approach in opposing mergers.

April 2024: FTC issues non-compete ban

In April 2024, the FTC issued a regulation banning non-compete agreements for employees other than senior executives.

August 2024: Federal court strikes down non-compete regulation

In August 2024, a federal court struck down the FTC's non-compete regulation, citing overreach of statutory authority.

September 26, 2024: End of FTC Term

On March 22, 2021, Joe Biden announced that he was nominating Khan to be a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission to a term ending September 26, 2024.

2024: Praise for Antitrust Efforts

In 2024, JD Vance cited Lina Khan's campaigns against large technology companies as a success for antitrust efforts in the US. David Cicilline also expressed confidence that Khan would prevail against large companies. Matt Stoller described Khan as the best chair the FTC has ever had in 2024.

2024: Positive Comments from Republican Figures

In 2024, Lina Khan received positive comments from Republican figures such as JD Vance and Steve Bannon regarding her role as FTC chairman.

2024: FTC adopts "click to cancel" rule

In 2024, the FTC adopted the "click to cancel" rule, enabling consumers to efficiently end subscription services.

2024: FTC Wins Merger Challenges

In 2024, the FTC won two major merger challenges in court, blocking Tapestry, Inc.'s attempted acquisition of Capri in November and Kroger's attempted acquisition of Albertsons in December.