The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division will honor William J. Baer with the prestigious John Sherman Award, recognizing his lifetime achievements in advancing antitrust law and economic liberty.
The award, the Antitrust Division’s highest honor, will be presented during a ceremony on December 12 at 3:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building. The event, marking the award’s 30th anniversary, will be livestreamed on justice.gov/live.
Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter praised Baer as a “generational talent and visionary” whose career reshaped antitrust enforcement. Baer is the only person to lead antitrust efforts at both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Justice Department.
Baer’s tenure included landmark achievements, such as blocking anticompetitive mergers and securing record fines for cartel activity. He also played a pivotal role in addressing the Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities crisis, achieving record penalties for financial institutions.
Currently a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, Baer has received numerous accolades, including the FTC’s Miles W. Kirkpatrick Lifetime Achievement Award.
The John Sherman Award, established in 1994, honors individuals for significant contributions to antitrust law and consumer protection. Past recipients include Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg, Robert H. Bork, and Herbert Hovenkamp.
