Microsoft Lawyer To Lead ABA's Antitrust Section

Dan writes "Wired is reporting that a top lawyer from Microsoft will take over later this year as chairman of the American Bar Association's antitrust section. The panel is organizing opposition to a congressional plan that would require more aggressive oversight by the courts of such antitrust settlements. Considering the next major ruling in MS's case is due soon, you can figure out how important this is to MS."

Comments

Does anyone know WHO we can appeal/complain to?

[llamafirst]

Wired is reporting that a top lawyer from Microsoft will take over later this year as chairman of the American Bar Association's antitrust section

Does anyone know to whom we can appeal/complain at the ABA or elsewhere in the government about this potential conflict of interest? You know, and have the complaining/appealing be actually useful? If so, please post...

Re:Well, look on the bright side...

[EvanED]

Yes, but what stops MS from selling a stripped down version of Windows in Europe while selling the full version with all its 'goodness' here? Some people would buy it from overseas, sure, but most people would still just get whatever came on the computer.

What does the position do?

[BoneFlower]

IS the position meant to be filled by someone who works against monopolies, or is it more of an advisory/educational position, where it requires someone who knows a lot about anti trust and their opinion of antitrust laws isn't an issue?

Re:Well, look on the bright side...

[JayBlalock]

Of course, it would depend on exactly what sort of ruling the EU hands down. But if they, as is rumored, assess fines of hundreds of millions of dollars (Euros), then that will put Microsoft in a bad position either way. Either they pay up a fine which would hurt even them, and play by the rules, or they pull out of Europe.

I don't *think* they would start putting out, essentially, two different versions of Windows, with Europe getting the stripped-down version. For one thing, what sort of sense does it make to sell the inferior product to the larger customer base? Especially when Europe is increasingly looking towards Linux. Not to mention the costs involved in maintaining even more versions of the platform.

No, while it would, of course, be possible for Microsoft to continue their evil ways with new methods, on the whole this may be the catalyst that forces them to start playing nicely. There's just too much to lose from pissing the EU off.