Technology | Google Feds Hire Heavyweight Lawyer in Google Probe Beth Wilkinson's selection points to likely court case By Matt Cantor Posted Apr 27, 2012 7:18 AM CDT Copied Google Chairman Eric Schmidt appears during a conference at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) As its investigation into Google's search practices continues, the Federal Trade Commission has hired a top outside lawyer for the case. The choice of an outside litigator is a rare one for the FTC—it's happened only twice in 10 years, the New York Times notes—and it suggests the case will likely go to court. The hire? Former DoJ prosecutor Beth Wilkinson, who was key to Timothy McVeigh's bombing conviction and has won all of the approximately 40 major cases she has led. The case centers on whether Google has unfairly ensured that competitors' links don't turn up at the top of its search results; Wilkinson's hiring marks a "watershed moment," says a former FTC official. "This shows Google that if it doesn’t give you the remedy you want, you’re going to litigate." The potential filing of a suit would likely not happen for months, and if it does, Google will be ready. "Working on the investigation will be a great challenge. I don’t underestimate Google," Wilkinson says. Read These Next It started with failure to say 'thank you,' ended with murder. White House isn't happy about the pick for the Nobel Peace Prize. Multiple people are dead or missing after an explosion in Tennessee. Freak accident kills a woman as she cleans her car. Report an error