 In her individual capacity, Varney became known for spearheading the FTC's examination of privacy and commerce,
and for promoting innovation market theory analysis in the fields of information technology and biotechnology.Varney was a partner at the Washington, D.C. law firm Hogan & Hartson, where she chaired the Internet practice group, and was registered as a lobbyist.As a lawyer, Varney represented and advised companies on matters such as antitrust, privacy, business planning and corporate governance, intellectual property, and general liability issues.