About

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

Provided by Chambers

Food & Beverages: Regulatory & Litigation - USA - Nationwide

2
Band 2

What the Team is Known For

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 is the national counsel to Amazon in cases pertaining to the presence of heavy metals in baby food.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Charles M English
4
Charles M English
4
Band 4
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.

Charles is an experienced litigator who has handled a variety of complex federal regulatory matters. He has become a trusted adviser on a variety of matters.

Ashley Vulin
U
Ashley Vulin
U
Up and Coming

Ashley Vulin is based in Portland and has a practice focused on providing regulatory and litigation support to varied food and beverage clients. She is known for stand out litigation work on high profile matters. Ashley regularly handles work ranging from food safety litigation to organic certification.

Ashley Vulin is a very good writer and her oral argument skills are top-notch.

Ranked Lawyers at
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

USA - Nationwide

Food & Beverages: Regulatory & Litigation

Charles M English
4
Charles M English
4
Band 4
Ashley Vulin
U
Ashley Vulin
U
Up and Coming

Members

Provided by Davis Wright Tremaine LLP