From PHC to the FTC: Levi Swank in federal litigation leadership

Levi Swank, a 2010 PHC graduate with a B.A. in Government, recently accepted a position at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as Deputy Director for Litigation in the Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Swank cannot remember a time when he wasn’t interested in law. As a senior in high school, he saw attending Patrick Henry College as the logical first step toward a career in law. PHC did not disappoint.

“PHC really was invaluable in terms of laying the foundation for my future success,” Swank said. “The Moot Court and Debate programs shaped my ability to orally present ideas and arguments.”

After graduating, Swank was accepted into the University of Virginia School of Law (UVA), one of the nation's top law schools. He graduated in 2013 and clerked for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Medina, Ohio. Afterward, he became an associate and then a partner at Goodwin Procter, a large law firm in Washington, D.C. Just days after his 11^th anniversary at the firm, he decided to join the FTC.

Swank landed the job through networking with former classmates and colleagues from his clerkship. “I realized that I knew several people at the FTC from law school and PHC, and they were able to serve as advocates for me,” Swank said. David Shaw, the Principal Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition, who Swank knew from PHC, gave him valuable insight into working at the FTC.

Swank’s responsibilities include shepherding matters under investigation by understanding the facts, shaping legal theories, and recommending an approach. He assists with special projects by drafting letters to companies the FTC believes may be engaging in unfair or deceptive practices.

He also identifies amicus brief opportunities, which involve creating a legal document that provides additional information or expertise to assist the court’s analysis. He meets with stakeholders, divisions within the Bureau of Consumer Protection, commissioners, and opposing counsel. Swank's daily tasks may also include witness interviews and discussions related to any aspect of litigation or investigation.

Besides the legal experience and connections that he gained at PHC, Swank has also taken away the invaluable lesson of applying a biblical worldview to his endeavors. At the FTC, he demonstrates this in how he handles difficult situations and cares for others.

Swank said: "A lot of what living out biblical values looks like is not necessarily proselytizing to your co-workers, but it’s differentiating yourself by how you approach your work and your relationships with other people based on Christian values. Those speak for themselves."

Patrick Henry College exists to glorify God by challenging the status quo in higher education, lifting high both faith and reason within a rigorous academic environment; thereby preserving for posterity the ideals behind the "noble experiment in ordered liberty" that is the foundation of America.