Food & Beverages: Regulatory & Litigation
USA Guide 2024 : USA - Nationwide
Band 3
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+1 503 241 2300About
Provided by Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Our ability to nimbly handle both regulatory and litigation matters in the food industry is rare in the marketplace and gives us an advantage over many firms that strictly specialize in either food-related regulatory or litigation matters. We provide complete advisory and counseling services to food businesses, with both a regulatory compliance and risk mitigation perspective. We conduct due diligence activities related to major transactions in the food and beverage sector. We are often hired to provide due diligence review and subject matter expert comments on FDA, USDA, and food safety issues by other firms whose transactional teams do not have this expertise in-house.
As nationally recognized industry litigators, we defend many of the largest producers, brands, and retailers in the country in high-stakes class action claims, supply chain disputes, and brand protection matters. We combine our regulatory and litigation expertise to provide ongoing labelling advice to on issues related to FDA regulatory requirements (e.g., standards of identity, ingredient labelling, allergen labelling, characterizing flavors); nutrient-content, structure/function, and disease claims; organic claims; natural claims; “healthy” claims; country of origin and “Made in the USA” claims; and slack fill issues, among others. We routinely defeat claims against our clients where other firms, facing similar or identical claims, do not prevail.
Chambers Review
Davis Wright Tremaine has a well-respected practice with extensive experience of handling both litigation and regulatory matters in the food and beverage space. The law firm fields a strong group of practitioners with extensive experience of advising on a range of disputes, including those arising from foodborne illness and mislabeling claims. The team is routinely called upon to provide counsel on compliance with FDA and USDA regulations, notably in light of large transactions. Its broad client list includes processors, manufacturers and retailers.
Work Highlights
- Davis Wright Tremaine defended Fred Meyer against class action claims alleging the retailer improperly charged consumers ten-cent deposits on beverage containers that cannot be redeemed under Oregon's container recycling program.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"We have been greatly impressed and pleased with the team's responsiveness and work to make complex and sophisticated matters easy to comprehend in an efficient manner."
"It's clear the attorneys keep their pulse on the industry."
"The team's advice is always practical and actionable."
"We have been greatly impressed and pleased with the team's responsiveness and work to make complex and sophisticated matters easy to comprehend in an efficient manner."
"It's clear the attorneys keep their pulse on the industry."
"The team's advice is always practical and actionable."
Notable Practitioners
Charles English is based in Washington and has a significant practice which sees him acting as counsel to manufacturers and retailers. He advises clients on a range of issues, including labeling and recalls.
"I was very impressed with his skill, patience, steady hand and vision. He is a courteous, professional and strong advocate."
"He is highly responsive and has strong business judgment."