Bilal Sayyed

Biographical Sketch

Bilal Sayyed represents clients before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) in significant merger, civil and criminal antitrust matters. A significant portion of his practice involves representing investment funds on antitrust and Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act compliance matters; he has also provided expert witness services related to HSR compliance. Professor Sayyed also counsels clients before the FTC in consumer protection and privacy investigations. He maintains an active amicus and appellate brief writing practice in antitrust litigation and antitrust merger matters. Professor Sayyed also has an active practice representing clients before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”), including the preparation of voluntary or mandatory notice filings, and obtaining clearance for notified transactions.

Prior to joining Cadwalader, Professor Sayyed was the Director of the FTC’s Office of Policy Planning (OPP) (2018-2021). In that role, he provided legal and policy advice to the Chairman and Commissioners on antitrust and consumer protection matters and worked closely with the senior and career leadership of the FTC’s Bureaus of Competition, Consumer Protection, and Economics. Under his leadership, OPP initiated and led the Commission’s Hearings on Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21^st Century, and, as a follow-up, initiated and led the Commission’s post-hearing policy and enforcement projects, including the drafting and release of the first joint Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Vertical Merger Guidelines and the drafting of the Federal Trade Commission’s Commentary on Vertical Merger Enforcement. He also initiated and led a first-of-its-kind inquiry into the acquisition activity of Alphabet/Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook/Meta and Microsoft, for purposes of considering revisions to FTC policy and enforcement efforts with respect to transactions not subject to the reporting and waiting period requirements of the HSR Act. Professor Sayyed previously served as an Attorney Advisor to FTC Chairman Timothy J. Muris from 2001 to 2004. In that role, Professor Sayyed advised the Chairman on matters involving a wide spectrum of industries, including chemical and mining, petroleum and natural gas, health care and pharmaceutical, defense and transportation, gaming, various consumer products and retail operations, and professional associations and standard-setting organizations.

Professor Sayyed has taught antitrust and competition law at the George Mason University School of Law since 2011. Prior to his government service, he was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, Chambers, the Legal 500, and Super Lawyers and was recently named to the 2025 and 2026 editions of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Antitrust & Global Competition Lawyers. He has also received “Top Authors” recognition from the 2026 JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards.

Professor Sayyed received his B.A. from Case Western Reserve University, and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and the State of New York, as well as before the U.S. District Courts for the District of Colorado and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the Fifth Circuit, the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Professor Sayyed is the host of Rethinking Antitrust, a podcast published by TechFreedom that examines the economics, institutions, law, legislation, and policy goals of antitrust enforcement.