Leslie V. Pope

December 8, 2025 — After years of high-stakes litigation and a multi-week bench trial, on November 18, 2025, Chief Judge James E. Boasberg entered judgment for Meta on the FTC’s Section 2 claim. The Court rejected the FTC’s proposed “personal social networking” market and, based on extensive empirical evidence, found a broader social‑media market that includes TikTok and YouTube. The Court concluded that the FTC failed to prove Meta possesses monopoly power in the relevant market. The Court credited field experiments, natural experiments (including platform outages and a ban on the TikTok app in India), and app usage data showing significant and persistent diversion between Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. It found convergence across features and user behavior—particularly the shift toward AI-recommended short-form video and private messaging—undercutting the FTC’s effort to distinguish “social networking” from “entertainment.” The Court declined to infer monopoly power from evidence of Meta’s profits and further determined that the FTC had failed to show that the “quality-adjusted” price of Meta’s apps had declined; on the contrary, it found that “Meta’s apps have continuously improved.”  And in the relevant market, time‑spent and user metrics show that Meta’s share is well below monopoly thresholds and trending down. The court ordered judgment for Meta, ending the FTC’s case at the liability stage. A large Kellogg Hansen team, led by Mark C. Hansen, served as lead trial counsel for Meta.   The lawyers involved at trial included Daniel V. Dorris, Andrew E. Goldsmith, Joseph S. Hall, Jake E. Hartman, Kevin D. Horvitz, Kevin B. Huff, Geoffrey M. Klineberg, Evan T. Leo, Kevin J. Miller, Aaron M. Panner, Alex Parkinson, Ana N. Paul, Leslie V. Pope, Thomas G. Schultz, Lillian V. Smith, Silvija A. Strikis, Ariela M. Migdal, Collin R. White, Justin B. Berg, Geoffrey J.H. Block, Hannah D.C. DePalo, Nataliia Gillespie, Natalie E. Giotta, Jordan R.G. González, Zachary M. Meskell, Diego Negron-Reichard, Aaseesh P. Polavarapu, Catherine M. Redlingshafer, Andrew Skaras, Alex P. Treiger, and Hilary M. Weaver. This case has garnered significant national attention, with coverage in Global Competition Review, Litigator of the Week, Law360’s Legal Lions, and Judicial Notice. These outlets highlighted the complexity of the litigation, the breadth of the economic evidence presented at trial, and the substantial implications of the Court’s decision for antitrust enforcement in digital markets. The recognition across multiple leading publications underscores both the importance of the ruling and the exceptional work of the trial team. Federal Trade Commission v. Meta Platforms, Inc., Case 1:20-cv-03590-JEB (D.D.C)..

January 31, 2024— In a landmark resolution reached just before closing arguments in a jury trial in the Eastern District of Texas, Dexon Computer has dismissed antitrust allegations against Cisco Systems as part of a comprehensive settlement agreement. Dexon will also pay Cisco to resolve Cisco’s counterfeit-trafficking claims pending in the Northern District of California. Dexon, an unauthorized reseller of Cisco products, also agreed to stop selling unauthorized Cisco products, revamp its business model, and apply to join Cisco\'s authorized reseller program. These steps are intended to uphold customer confidence and ensure the delivery of trusted and verified Cisco products. Cisco sued Dexon in the Northern District of California in July 2020, alleging that Dexon trafficked in counterfeit “Cisco” equipment. Dexon brought counterclaims, including under the antitrust laws, but the court dismissed them. Dexon then brought similar antitrust claims in the Eastern District of Texas in April 2022. A jury trial in the latter case began on January 22, 2024, and the presentation of evidence concluded at the end of that week. The parties were scheduled to deliver closing arguments the following Monday, but on Saturday Dexon moved to dismiss its own claims with prejudice. Cisco Systems is represented by attorneys from Kellogg Hansen: Aaron M. Panner, Andrew E. Goldsmith, Leslie V. Pope, Alex A. Parkinson, Ryan M. Folio, Caroline A. Schechinger, Geoffrey J.H Block, D. Chanslor Gallenstein, Jonathan I. Liebman, and Hilary M. Weaver. Kellogg Hansen is grateful for the critical contributions by its co-counsel in Texas, Deron R. Dacus of The Dacus Firm PC and Jennifer H. Doan and Mariah Leigh Hornok of Haltom & Doan, and its co-counsel in both cases, Richard J. Nelson, Louis P. Feuchtbaum, Zachary Alinder, and Lyndsey Heaton of Sideman & Bancroft LLP. The overall litigation effort was led by Cisco’s in-house team, including Sarita Venkat, Karen Lu, Gil Ohana, Michael Blaisdell, and Jon Schwartz. See also: Order of Dismissal (January 29, 2024) ..

April 27, 2023— A D.C. Circuit panel refused to revive a case from brought on by 46 States, the District of Columbia, and Guam which accused Facebook parent company Meta Platforms of monopolizing social networking through “buying or burying” would-be competitors. The States’ Complaint alleged that Facebook adopted policies that prevented competing social platforms from accessing Facebook\'s suite of software tools called \"Facebook Platform.\" The Complaint claimed that these policies resulted in a sudden loss of functionality for competing apps, leaving them \"broken or buggy,\" but Facebook removed these policies in 2018. The Complaint was filed in December 2020 by both the States and the Federal Trade Commission. As such, the panel affirmed the States waited too long by filing a case targeting acquisitions that occurred several years before. Meta has been integrating the services and changing its own products in accordance with the deals and acquisitions. This is a significant refusal-to-deal case and an authoritative opinion from the D.C. Circuit in regard to laches and state sovereigns. It is also an important case in looking to the future of tech, as the panel stated in the Opinion, “the industry [,] . . . even on the States’ allegations, has had rapid growth and innovation with no end in sight.”  Meta Platforms is represented by attorneys from Kellogg Hansen: Aaron Panner, Mark Hansen, Leslie Pope, and Alex Parkinson. Read the full article here. ..

January 1, 2018— Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C. take pleasure in announcing that Daniel Dorris and Leslie Pope have become partners in the firm, Linda Elliott has joined the firm as of counsel, and twelve federal judicial clerks have joined as associates.  Daniel Dorris joined the firm as an associate in 2012.  Daniel has particular experience with antitrust and securities cases, multi-district litigation, and class actions.  He represented the National Credit Union Administration in a series of lawsuits regarding the sale of residential mortgage-backed securities.  He also recently briefed and argued an appeal regarding the settlement of a multi-district litigation regarding overpayments for motor fuel.  Leslie Pope joined the firm as an associate in 2012. She represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex, commercial litigation and has substantial experience trying high-stakes matters for clients in both federal and state courts.  Leslie was part of trial teams that successfully represented a client in Texas state court in a case involving high-yield debt and that achieved the first-ever royalty rate decrease from the Copyright Royalty Board for broadcasters that offer online radio services.  Leslie also represented the National Credit Union Administration in a series of lawsuits regarding the sale of residential mortgage-backed securities.   Kellogg Hansen was founded on the idea that talent, creativity, and hard work achieve the best results for clients. The firm has grown over the past 24 years – with each year proving this founding principle holds true. Nearly all Kellogg Hansen attorneys graduated from top-tier law schools and served as law clerks for federal judges. Our highly credentialed and motivated lawyers offer businesses, individuals, and governments expert counsel and innovative solutions to complex disputes and high-stakes matters. PARTNERS DANIEL V. DORRIS  Admitted to bar, 2011, Illinois; 2013, District of Columbia.  Education:  University of Illinois (B.S., summa cum laude, 2006); University of Chicago Law School (J.D., with high honors, 2010).  Order of the Coif.  John M. Olin Law & Economics Fellow.  Kirkland & Ellis Scholar.  Executive Topics & Comments Editor, University of Chicago Law Review, 2009-2010.  Law Clerk:  Hon. Pamela Rymer, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2010-2011; Hon. Gary Feinerman, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2011-2012. LESLIE V. POPE  Admitted to bar, 2010, Virginia; 2013, District of Columbia.  Education:  Harvard College (A.B., cum laude, 2006); Cambridge University (M.Phil., Philosophy, 2007); Yale Law School (J.D., 2010). Managing Editor, Yale Law Journal, 2009-2010.  Law Clerk:  Hon. Judith W. Rogers, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, 2011-2012.  Languages:  Spanish.  OF COUNSEL LINDA A. ELLIOTT  Admitted to bar, 1988, District of Columbia. Education: Kalamazoo College (B.A., 1981), University of Michigan Law School (J.D., 1986), Georgetown University Law Center (Prettyman Fellow 1988-1990, LL.M., 1992). Editor-In-Chief, Michigan Yearbook of International Legal Studies, 1986-87. Law Clerk: Hon. Douglas W. Hillman, U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, 1986-1988; Hon. Harry T. Edwards, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, 2003-2008, 2015-2016. Staff Attorney, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, 1990-1997. Deputy Circuit Executive, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, 1998-2000. Special Counsel for Legal Affairs, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, 2001-2003. Visiting Professor of Law, University of Peking School of Transnational Law, Shenzhen, China, 2009-present. Adjunct Professor of Law, New York University School of Law, 2007-2017. Co-Author: Federal Standards of Review: Review of District Court Decisions and Agency Actions (Thomson Reuters, 3d ed. 2018) (2d ed. 2013) (1st ed. 2008) (with Hon. Harry T. Edwards). ASSOCIATES CHRISTINE A. BONOMO Admitted to bar, 2015, New York; 2016, District of Columbia. Education: Kenyon College (B.A., summa cum laude, 2011); University of Chicago Law School (J.D., with Honors, 2014). Articles Editor, The Chicago Journal of International Law, 2013-2014. Phi Beta Kappa. Law Clerk: Hon. Peter J. Messitte, U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2015-2016; Hon. Deborah L. Cook, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 2016-2017. Author: Case Studies in the Advancement of Sexual Orientation Rights: Argentina and Brazil, The Chicago Journal of international Law, Volume 14.1. KEVIN D. HORVITZ  Admitted to bar, 2017, New York; (admitted only in New York; supervision by partners of the firm). Education: Vanderbilt University (B.A., 2013); Duke University School of Law (J.D./LL.M., magna cum laude, 2016). Order of the Coif. Law Clerk: Hon. Gerald Bard Tjoflat, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 2016-2017. Author: An Unreasonable Ban on Reasonable Competition: The Legal Profession’s Protectionist Stance Against Noncompete Agreements Binding In-House Counsel, 65 Duke L.J. 1007 (2016). KYLIE C. KIM Admitted to bar, 2015, New York; 2017, District of Columbia. Education: Ewha W. University (B.A., magna cum laude, 2011); Harvard Law School (J.D., 2014). Article Editor, Harvard Environmental Law Review, 2012-2013; Member, Harvard Environmental Law Moot Court Team, 2012-2013; Executive Online Editor, Harvard International Law Journal, 2013-2014; Captain, Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team, 2013-2014; Supreme Court Moot Director, American Constitution Society, 2013-2014; Founder and President, Harvard International Juris Doctor Students Society, 2013-2014. Law Clerk: Hon. Steven D. Merryday, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 2014-2016; Hon. Charles R. Wilson, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 2016-2017. Languages: Korean.  ROBERT C. KLIPPER  Admitted to bar, 2016, Maryland; 2018, District of Columbia. Education: Yale University (B.A., magna cum laude, 2011); Yale Law School (J.D., 2016). Phi Beta Kappa. Editor, Yale Law Journal, 2015-2016. Law Clerk: Hon. Pamela Harris, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 2016-2017. Languages: Mandarin.  GRACE W. KNOFCZYNSKI  Admitted to bar, 2016, Pennsylvania; (admitted only in Pennsylvania; supervision by partners of the firm). Education: University of Tulsa (B.S., magna cum laude, B.A. magna cum laude, 2013); University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D., summa cum laude, 2016). Phi Beta Kappa. Order of the Coif. Associate Editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 2014-2015. Senior Editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 2015-2016. Law Clerk: Hon. A. Raymond Randolph, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, 2016-2017  ALBERT PAK Admitted to bar, 2017, New York; (admitted only in New York; supervision by partners of the firm). Education: Stanford University (B.A., M.A., 2013); Yale Law School (J.D., 2016). Phi Beta Kappa. Lead Editor, Yale Journal on Regulation, 2014-2015. Managing Editor, Yale Journal of International Law, 2015-2016.   Law Clerk: John M. Rogers, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 2016-2017. Author: Book Note, reviewing Joel P. Trachtman, The Future of International Law: Global Government (2013), 39 Yale Journal of International Law 198 (2014). Languages: Korean. ALEX A. PARKINSON  Admitted to bar, 2016, New York; 2018, District of Columbia. Education: Harvard University (B.A., 2011); The University of Chicago Law School (J.D., with high honors, 2015). Staff Editor, University of Chicago Law Review, 2013-2014. Editor in Chief, University of Chicago Law Review, Vol. 82, 2014-2015. Law Clerk: Hon. Robert D. Sack, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 2016-2017. Author: Class Actions as Firms, 2017 Columbia Business Law Review 740; Behavioral Class Action Law, 65 UCLA Law Review (forthcoming); Comment, Comcast Corp. v. Behrend and Chaos on the Ground, L81 University of Chicago Law Review 1213 (2014). CHRISTOPHER M. SARMA* Admitted to bar, 2016, New York (admitted only in New York; supervision by partners of the firm). Education: Wesleyan University (B.A., 2009); Oxford University (MSc, 2011); Cornell Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 2015). Articles Editor, Cornell Law Review, 2014-2015; Law Clerk: Hon. Edward R. Korman, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, 2015-2016; Hon. Andrew J. Kleinfeld, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2016-2017. Author: Note, Citizenship and the War on Terror: Should Federal Courts Consider a Plaintiff’s Citizenship in Post-9/11 Litigation?, 100 Cornell Law Review. (2015). DANIEL S. SEVERSON Admitted to bar, 2016, New York; 2017, District of Columbia. Education: Bard College (B.A., 2010); Harvard University (M.P.P., 2016); Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2016). Editor in Chief, Harvard International Law Journal, 2015-2016. Law Clerk: Hon. Allyson Kay Duncan, U.S. of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 2016-2017. Author: The Encryption Debate in Europe, Hoover Institution (forthcoming 2017); The Court and the World: An Interview with Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer, 57 Harvard International Law Journal 253 (2016); National Security Reporting Requirements: Managing the Tension Between Secrecy and Accountability, 2016; American Surveillance of Non-U.S. Persons: Why New Privacy Protections Offer Only Cosmetic Change, 56 Harvard International Law Journal 465 (2015). Languages: French, Mandarin.  LILLIAN V. SMITH* Admitted to bar, 2017, New York (admitted only in New York; supervision by partners of the firm). Education: University of Virginia (B.A., with high distinction, 2008); Brooklyn Law School (J.D., summa cum laude, 2016). Editor in Chief, Brooklyn Law Review, 2015-2016. Law Clerk: Chief Judge Roger L. Gregory, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 2016-2017. Author: Note, Recreating the “Ritual Carving”: Why Congress Should Fund Independent Redistricting Commissions and End Partisan Gerrymandering, 80 Brooklyn Law Review 1641 (2015).  DAVID S. SUSKA  Admitted to bar, 2016, Virginia; (admitted only in Virginia; supervision by partners of the firm).   Education: University of Michigan (B.A., 2008, M.A., 2009); University of Chicago Law School (J.D., with Honors, 2016). Law Clerk: Hon. Frank H. Easterbrook, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 2016-2017. Author: The Federal–State Standing Gap, William and Mary Bill of Rights Journal (forthcoming 2018); Reappraising Dodd-Frank’s Living Will Regime, 36 Review of Banking & Financial Law 779 (2017); Regulatory Takings and Ridesharing, 19 New York University Journal of Legislation & Public Policy 183 (2016). JULIUS P. TARANTO Admitted to bar, 2017, District of Columbia; Education: Pomona College (B.A., cum laude, 2012); Yale Law School (J.D., 2016). Coker Fellow, Constitutional Law. Co-President, Yale Law School National Security Group, 2014-2015. Law Clerk: Hon. Jeffrey S. Sutton, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 2016-2017. Co-Author:   Comment, Stare Decisis and Secret Law: On Precedent and Publication in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, Yale Law Journal (2015). ..