Andrew N. Ferguson Bio
Andrew N. Ferguson (born June 17, 1986) is an American lawyer and government official serving as the 57th chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a position he has held since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he was confirmed as a commissioner of the FTC in 2024 after building a career in appellate litigation, antitrust practice, and congressional legal counsel. Before joining the FTC, he served as the solicitor general of Virginia from 2022 to 2024, representing the Commonwealth in federal and state supreme courts. He is widely recognized for shaping competition policy and consumer protection enforcement at the federal level.
Early Life and Background
Andrew N. Ferguson was born on June 17, 1986, in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and grew up in the surrounding areas of Rockingham County. His father served as an academic vice president at Bridgewater College, and his mother was a professor of accounting at James Madison University, giving him an early exposure to academic life in the Shenandoah Valley. He graduated from Eastern Mennonite School in 2005, completing his secondary education in the same region where he was raised.
Ferguson then enrolled at the University of Virginia, where he studied history and graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts with highest distinction. After college, he spent one year at the William & Mary Law School before transferring to the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served as an articles editor of the Virginia Law Review. He completed his Juris Doctor in 2012, finishing his formal education with strong credentials in legal research and writing.
Path to Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission
After law school, Andrew N. Ferguson served as a law clerk to Judge Karen L. Henderson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He went on to practice antitrust law at the law firms Covington & Burling, Bancroft PLLC, and Sidley Austin, representing clients in private antitrust litigation and matters before the FTC and the United States Department of Justice. From 2016 to 2017, he clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court, deepening his experience in constitutional and federal litigation.
Ferguson then transitioned to Capitol Hill, serving as chief counsel for nominations and the constitution to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, and later as senior special counsel to Chairman Chuck Grassley. From 2019 until 2021, he served as chief counsel to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, acting as McConnell’s chief legal advisor and judicial confirmation strategist. In January 2022, Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares selected Ferguson to serve as solicitor general of Virginia, a role he held from 2022 to 2024, overseeing the Commonwealth’s appellate litigation. He was nominated by President Joe Biden in July 2023 to serve as a member of the FTC, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him by voice vote on March 7, 2024. In January 2025, President Donald Trump designated him as the 57th chairman of the agency, succeeding Lina Khan.
Andrew N. Ferguson Career
Legal Career (2012–2022)
Andrew N. Ferguson’s legal career began with a federal appellate clerkship for Judge Karen L. Henderson, followed by antitrust practice at several prominent Washington, D.C. law firms. At Covington & Burling, Bancroft PLLC, and Sidley Austin, he handled private antitrust litigation and represented clients in proceedings before the FTC and the Department of Justice, building a strong foundation in competition law. His work during this period established him as a thoughtful antitrust practitioner with deep familiarity with merger review and regulatory enforcement.
In 2016, Ferguson earned a prestigious Supreme Court clerkship with Justice Clarence Thomas, a position he held through 2017. He later joined the Senate Judiciary Committee as chief counsel for nominations and the constitution under Chairman Lindsey Graham, then served as senior special counsel to Chairman Chuck Grassley. From 2019 to 2021, he was chief counsel to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, advising on judicial confirmations and major legal policy matters. These roles sharpened his understanding of constitutional law, regulatory policy, and the federal confirmation process.
Solicitor General of Virginia (2022–2024)
In January 2022, Andrew N. Ferguson was selected as the solicitor general of Virginia by Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares, succeeding Michelle Kallen the following month. In that role, he oversaw the appellate litigation of Virginia and its agencies, representing the Commonwealth before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Virginia, and the federal courts of appeals. He also defended Virginia’s statutes and regulations from constitutional challenge, handling high-profile cases that shaped state and federal law.
As solicitor general, Ferguson managed a significant portfolio of appellate matters, guiding the Commonwealth’s legal position on a wide range of regulatory and constitutional questions. His tenure strengthened Virginia’s appellate practice and reinforced his reputation as a careful and effective advocate in complex litigation. The experience prepared him for the regulatory and constitutional questions that define the work of the Federal Trade Commission.
FTC Commissioner (2024–Present)
Andrew N. Ferguson was confirmed as a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission in March 2024, joining an agency tasked with enforcing consumer protection and competition laws. In June 2024, he dissented when the Commission issued a final rule banning non-compete clauses in most employment contracts, a position that drew national attention. In August 2024, a U.S. District Judge issued a nationwide injunction prohibiting enforcement of that rule. Ferguson also dissented in September 2024 from the Commission’s decision to approve Chevron’s $53 billion purchase of Hess with conditions, and in October 2024 he argued in a partial dissent that the removal protections provided to the FTC’s administrative law judges are unconstitutional.
His early FTC work signaled a focus on the constitutional structure of the agency, the limits of regulation, and the appropriate use of rulemaking. Ferguson’s dissents during his commissioner tenure set out a legal philosophy skeptical of expansive agency action, which would shape his agenda once elevated to the chairmanship.
Chairmanship of the FTC (2025–Present)
In January 2025, President Donald Trump designated Andrew N. Ferguson as the 57th chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, replacing Lina Khan following the presidential inauguration. Because he had already been confirmed by the Senate as a commissioner, his elevation to chairman did not require an additional confirmation vote. Ferguson has stated his intention to ease his predecessor’s scrutiny of business mergers and acquisitions while continuing critical oversight of large technology platforms. His leadership represents a meaningful shift in the agency’s enforcement priorities.
Under Ferguson’s chairmanship, the FTC in January 2025 closed public comment on surveillance pricing, a practice in which online retailers use personal data such as location and browsing history to set individualized prices. The agency had previously found that some companies used consumer data to adjust and target prices, and the move signaled continued attention to data-driven harms. In June 2025, the FTC under Ferguson initiated enforcement actions targeting major social media companies to limit the collection and use of personal data from children under 13, citing concerns over privacy and online safety. According to public reporting, despite expectations of a softer approach, Ferguson has kept aggressive cases against Meta Platforms and Amazon, and has continued Biden-era investigations of Microsoft.
Notable Events and Milestones
Andrew N. Ferguson’s ascent to the FTC chairmanship marks one of the most significant career milestones for a Republican antitrust lawyer of his generation, capping a path that included a Supreme Court clerkship, Senate counsel roles, and a state solicitor general position. He is the 57th chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, succeeding Lina Khan, and the second individual from Virginia to lead the agency in recent memory. His leadership has been defined by high-profile dissents as a commissioner, the closing of the FTC’s surveillance pricing comment period, and the launch of child-privacy enforcement actions against major social media companies in 2025.
Andrew N. Ferguson Family
Family Background
Andrew N. Ferguson was raised in a household rooted in higher education. His father served as an academic vice president at Bridgewater College, while his mother was a professor of accounting at James Madison University. Growing up in Rockingham County near Harrisonburg, Virginia, he was surrounded by academic mentors who helped shape his disciplined approach to scholarship and public service.
Personal Life
Andrew N. Ferguson is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite School, the University of Virginia, and the University of Virginia School of Law. He has built his professional life in Washington, D.C., clerking on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the U.S. Supreme Court, and serving on Capitol Hill and at the Federal Trade Commission. He is a member of the Republican Party and has spent his career in legal, judicial, and regulatory roles focused on antitrust law, constitutional issues, and federal judicial nominations.