Chong S. Park
Partner
Chong is a seasoned trial lawyer with over 25 years experience serving as lead counsel in complex litigation and government investigations for companies and individuals. His practice focuses on antitrust, consumer protection, and complex/commercial litigation. He also actively participates in the data, privacy & cybersecurity group. Chong is a co-chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee and is a member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee.
Based in Ropes & Gray’s Washington, D.C. and San Francisco offices, Chong is renowned for his experience as a litigator, having served five years as a senior trial attorney at the Federal Trade Commission, and previously as a Deputy City Attorney on the labor and employment and trial teams for the City and County of San Francisco.
Chong has first-chaired bench and jury trials in federal and state courts and has substantial experience in class action litigation and government enforcement actions. His practice focuses on high-stakes matters, representation in government regulatory proceedings and investigations, alternative dispute resolution, administrative litigation, and counseling. In proceedings initiated by government agencies, Chong has significant experience representing clients before the FTC, DOJ and the European Commission Directorate-General for Competition. He also has represented clients in proceedings initiated by various State Attorneys General.
Chong has represented companies in government investigations and as both plaintiffs and defendants in complex litigation. His clients come from diverse business sectors including technology, health care, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, manufacturing, financial services, food and beverage, and oil and gas.
Chong also maintains an active pro bono docket. He has had substantial experience in handling criminal matters and appeals, immigration and asylum cases, disability and civil rights matters, and he was lead counsel for the American Bar Association and individual plaintiffs in the successful lawsuit challenging the Department of Education’s handling of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (“PSLF”). Chong also led a team that, in 2019, secured freedom for John Huffington, who had been wrongfully convicted of murder and spent 32 years in prison (10 on death row).
Chong is a triathlete, has a black belt in tae kwon do, and has competed on the local, state, and national levels in both disciplines.
Experience
- Representation of Johns Hopkins University in class action antitrust lawsuit – Corzo, et al., v. Brown University et al., Case No. 1:22-cv-00125 (N.D. Ill.)
- Successfully secured closure of ESG-related antitrust and consumer protection investigation of investment firm launched by state attorney general’s office.
- Secured dismissals with prejudice of federal class action lawsuits filed against Canada Goose – Lee v. Canada Goose US, Inc., Case No. 1:20-cv-09809 (S.D.N.Y. 2022) and Lin v. Canada Goose, Inc. 21-cv-07614 (S.D.N.Y. 2022).
- Secured summary judgment for Howard Hughes Medical Institute in connection with federal lawsuit – Lee v. Howard Hughes Med. Inst., (D. Mass. 2022)
- Successfully represented multinational technology company in connection with closure of DOJ investigation relating to standard setting conduct.
- Successfully represented Harvard Pilgrim in connection with DOJ review of merger with Tufts Health Plan.
- Successfully represented Eversource Energy in class action antitrust lawsuit seeking $3.66 Billion in damages - Breiding v. Eversource Energy. Secured dismissal of lawsuit and subsequent affirmance of dismissal by First Circuit.
- Advised H.I.G. Capital in $950 million acquisition of Avient Corp,’s distribution unit.
- Lead litigation/trial counsel representing RentPath in connection with FTC investigation and lawsuit relating to proposed merger with CoStar Group.
- Represented Englewood Health in connection with FTC review of proposed merger with Hackensack Meridian Health.
- Successfully represented Board members of health and wellness company in FTC investigation and lawsuit.
- Successfully represented technology company in connection with FTC investigation into alleged data breach.
- Successfully represented numerous companies in connection with FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection investigations.
- Lead trial counsel in California environmental arbitration relating to alleged water contamination.
- Lead litigation/trial counsel for DraftKings in connection with FTC preliminary injunction challenge of proposed merger with Fan Duel.
Publications
- Quoted, “33 Years, 152 People, 1 Goal: How a Pro Bono Matter Became Ingrained in the Fabric of Ropes & Gray,” The American Lawyer (February 17, 2023)
- Interview, ABC News Live Prime (February 17, 2023)
- “Hogan Pardons Two Men Who Wrongly Served Decades in Prison for Murder,” The Washington Post (January 13, 2023)
- Quoted, “Outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan Pardons John Norman Huffington in Maryland’s Infamous ‘Memorial Day Murders’,” The Baltimore Sun (January 13, 2023)
- Quoted, “Governor Hogan Pardons Maryland Man Who Served 32 Years in Prison,” Fox 45 News Baltimore (January 13, 2023)
- Quoted, “FTC Weighs Stiff Penalties on Deceptive ‘Green’ Marketing,” The Wall Street Journal (January 12, 2023)
- Quoted, “Wall Street is Down on Corporate America,” The New York Times (January 9, 2023)
- Quoted, “Vanguard Exit Has Lawyers Mapping Out Wall Street’s Top ESG Risk,” Bloomberg Law (December 19, 2022)
- Quoted, “US Asset Managers Braced for Long Campaign,” ESG Investor (December 14, 2022)
- Quoted, “Exploring the ESG Landscape: A Roundtable Discussion,” Los Angeles Times (November 13, 2022)
- Quoted, “After 32 years in prison for a double murder he says he didn’t commit, he now seeks a pardon,” The Washington Post (November 9, 2021)
- Quoted, “Maryland man wants pardon in murder case handled by disbarred ex-prosecutor Cassilly,” The Daily Record (November 9, 2021)
- Quoted, “Man seeks pardon from Maryland Gov. Hogan after Harford County state’s attorney who prosecuted him is disbarred,” Baltimore Sun (November 9, 2021)
- Quoted, “For student borrowers, confusion anew in the public-service loan-forgiveness program,” The Washington Post (February 20, 2020)
- Quoted, “All ABA employees are eligible for federal loan forgiveness program after litigation settles,” ABA Journal (February 18, 2020)
- Quoted, “In about-face, several ABA employees are told they qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness,” ABA Journal (August 27, 2019)
- Quoted, “ABA Secures Loan Forgiveness Status After 3-Year Battle,” Law.com (August 27, 2019)
- Quoted, “ABA Urges Dept. Of Ed. Redo Of Loan Forgiveness Denials,” Law360 (September 26, 2018)
- Quoted, “Decision in ABA's Fight Over Texas Pro Bono Loan Forgiveness Yet to Come,” The Texas Lawyer (September 26, 2018)
- Quoted, “Huffington sentenced to time served for 1981 Harford double murder,” The Baltimore Sun (December 6, 2017)
- Quoted, “Department of Education Revokes Previous Approvals for Public Service Loan Forgiveness,” For The Record (September 2017)
- Co-author, “High Anxiety As First Student Loan Forgiveness Program 'Graduates' Come Due For Relief This October,” Forbes (September 19, 2017)
- Quoted, “New Fears For Public Service Loan Forgiveness,” NPR (August 2, 2017)
- Quoted, “Feds warn cops, firemen and teachers: There’s no guarantee on student loan forgiveness,” MarketWatch (August 2, 2017)
Presentations
- Panelist, “Emerging Issues: Latest Trends and Insights in the Antitrust Rules for Standards Essential Patents,” Knowledge Group Webcast (June 30, 2015)
- Presenter, “US Antitrust Presentation to Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission (DRC),” California State University, Long Beach (October 22, 2014)
- Panelist, “Not So Quiet on the Eastern Front: Emerging Antitrust Regimes in Asia,” National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s Fourth Annual International Law Symposium (November 17, 2011)
- Panelist, “Antitrust and Administrative Law: The Pros and Cons of Antitrust Enforcement by the FTC,” ABA Annual Conference (Summer 2010)
- Panelist, “The Supreme Court Rediscovers Antitrust: Understanding Recent Decisions,” ABA Section of Administrative Law Conference (Fall 2007)
- Panelist, “Unresolved Questions at the Heart of the Noerr-Pennington Doctrine,” ABA Section of Antitrust Spring Meeting (Spring 2004)
Education
- JD, Stanford Law School, 1992; associate editor, Stanford Law Review, Co-President, Moot Court Board, Hilmer Oehlmann, Jr. Award
- BA, magna cum laude, Yale University, 1987
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- District of Columbia, 1999
- California, 1993
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Awards
- The Legal 500 US, Antitrust- Civil Litigation/Class Actions (2017-2020)
- Chambers “Pro Bono Attorney of the Year” – Shortlisted (2019)
