Prior to his retirement, J. Edward Betts served as a senior member of Christian & Barton’s business law practice group. He counseled corporate clients, often through antitrust compliance and related records retention programs, in antitrust and unfair competition law, and represented them at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.
Mr. Betts served as managing partner of the firm for 23 years. In addition, he served as president of the Virginia Bar Association, as chair of Virginia’s Committee on Lawyer Discipline and as a member of Virginia’s Lawyer Disciplinary Board. He taught Antitrust Law at the University of Richmond Law School and lectured on antitrust subjects throughout the United States.
PRACTICE AREAS
Antitrust and Trade Regulation
Business Organizations and Corporations
ADMISSIONS
• Virginia
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court
Representative Antitrust Matters
• Conducted antitrust compliance program for press association.
• Conducted antitrust compliance program for cable television association.
• Prepared antitrust compliance video and policy for media company.
• Represented health care company in responding to Civil Investigative Demand from the Federal Trade Commission.
• Represented media company in responding to Civil Investigative Demand from the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice.
• Represented health care company in pre-merger notification filings and negotiations with the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice.
• Represented media company in pre-merger notification filings and negotiations involving the sale and purchase of television stations with the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice.
Harvard Law School, LL.M., 1966
University of Richmond School of Law, J.D., 1965
Colgate University, A.B., 1962
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Virginia Bar Association
• President, 2002
• Member, Committee on Special Issues of National and State Importance, 2003
American Bar Foundation
• Life Fellow and Former Virginia State Chair
Virginia Law Foundation
• Fellow
Virginia State Bar
• Virginia Committee on Lawyer Discipline, Former Chair
• Virginia Lawyer Disciplinary Board, Former Member
• Antitrust Section, Chair, 1977
The Bar Association of the City of Richmond
U. S. Supreme Court Historical Society
• Member and Former Virginia State Chair
University of Richmond Law School
• Former Adjunct Professor of Antitrust Law
University of Richmond Law School Association
• President, 1979-1980
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges
• Former Member, Board of Trustees
John Marshall Center for Constitutional History & Civics
• Board of Trustees, 2017, 2006-2008; President, 2006-2007
Mary Baldwin College Board of Trustees
• Secretary and Board Member, 1976-1989, 1991-1996
Friends of the Richmond Public Library
• President, 1974
The Steward School
• Vice President and Member, Board of Directors, 1977-1979
University of Richmond National Alumni Council
• Chair, 1979-1980
Richmond First Club
• Secretary, 1972
United Way Services for Greater Richmond, Professionals Division
• Chair, 1996
First Presbyterian Church (Richmond, Virginia)
• Elder, 1996-2002 and Clerk of Session
• Deacon, 1989-1995 and Moderator
Who's Who in America
• Marquis, 2007-2018
The Best Lawyers in America©
• Antitrust Law, 2005-2023
Virginia Super Lawyers
• Antitrust Litigation, 2006-2009