The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the IAB Technology Laboratory have hired former Lowenstein Sandler Partner Michael Hahn to serve as both trade associations’ new senior vice president and general counsel. A seasoned antitrust attorney, with experience at the intersection of competition law and intellectual property, Hahn will handle legal matters for the trade groups, including antitrust compliance, intellectual property rights, and general corporate and contractual matters. He will also be responsible for serving as an advocate for the digital advertising industry on legal matters affecting members of IAB and IAB Tech Lab.

In his previous role as vice chair of the Antitrust Practice Group at Lowenstein Sandler, Hahn provided clients in the technology, advertising, pharmaceutical, consumer products, and higher education sectors with strategic counsel around competition, distribution, intellectual property and governance issues. IAB and IAB Tech Lab were among his clients, and over the course of the last five years Hahn handled various legal matters for the trade groups.

“Michael is one of the foremost legal advisors in our industry with a proven track-record in delivering results for our organization,” said Randall Rothenberg, president and CEO, IAB. “Bringing his counsel in-house will allow him to be a guiding force in directing our legal needs, as we navigate the intricate media marketplace to promote the growth of digital.”

“We have already been impressed by Michael’s legal acumen, as well as his deep understanding of advertising technology,” said Alanna Gombert, senior vice president, Technology and Ad Operations, IAB, and general manager, IAB Tech Lab. “Having him come on board full-time will prove invaluable as we engage further in driving technical standards across the complex global landscape.”

“I am excited about taking on this new role with IAB and IAB Tech Lab—organizations’ at the nexus of digital marketing in the U.S. and across the globe,” said Hahn. “I am eager to bolster their missions and provide meaningful legal counsel on key issues that impact their constituents and advance the industry-at-large.”

Hahn is currently Co-Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association Antitrust Law Committee. He previously served on the Editorial Advisory Board of Competition Law 360 and the Advisory Board of the American Bar Association Antitrust Section’s Civil Torts and RICO Committee. He frequently publishes on a range of legal and policy issues.

IAB empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. It is comprised of more than 650 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital advertising or marketing campaigns. Together, they account for 86% of online advertising in the United States. Working with its member companies, the IAB develops technical standards and best practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising, while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. The organization is committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and diversity of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C., the IAB advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising industry to legislators and policymakers. There are 43 IABs licensed to operate in nations around the world and one regional IAB, in Europe. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City and has a West Coast office in San Francisco.

The IAB Technology Laboratory is an independent, international, nonprofit research and development consortium charged with producing and helping companies implement global industry technical standards. Comprised of digital publishers and ad technology firms, as well as marketers, agencies, and other companies with interests in the interactive marketing arena, the IAB Tech Lab’s goal is to reduce friction associated with the digital advertising and marketing supply chain, while contributing to the safe and secure growth of the industry. The organization’s founding member companies include AppNexus, Google, GroupM, Hearst Magazines Digital Media, LinkedIn, PubMatic, Sonobi, Tremor Video, Yahoo, and Yahoo! JAPAN. Established in 2014, the IAB Tech Lab is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.