Ex-FTC Official Now at Kroger Firm ‘Screened’ From Merger Fight

A former Federal Trade Commission official involved in the agency’s effort to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger won’t help his law firm’s fight to save the deal, according to the firm.

Mark Seidman, who joined Weil Gotshal & Manges this month after 18 years as an FTC lawyer, is banned from working on the deal and any other matters that he participated in at the agency, a firm leader said Monday.

“As required by Weil’s internal procedures and FTC rules, Mark is screened from and will have no involvement in the matter,” Jeff Perry, co-head of Weil’s US antitrust practice, said. ...