Last week, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced that he is appointing Samuel Levine as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.  Levine previously served as the Director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection during the Biden administration.

In addition to licensing businesses in dozens of sectors, the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection enforces the City's Consumer Protection Law.  With DCWP's broad mandate, the agency can go in many different directions.  For example, in can focus on more local issues, such home improvement contractors and misleading advertising by New York City-based car dealers.  With so many national advertisers doing business in, and advertising in, New York City, however, the agency could also – as it has occasionally done in the past – focus on tackling advertising issues that impact advertisers more broadly.  

At the press conference announcing his appointment, Levine said, “As commissioner for the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, I’ll make sure that every gig worker, small business owner, independent contractor and consumer knows their rights, and knows with confidence that they have a champion in city government.”