Ales Bartl, Counsel, resident in the firm’s Brussels office, practices in the area of environmental and health and safety regulation law. He counsels clients in the European Courts and in procedures before the Board of Appeal of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).  He also represents clients in various proceedings before the ECHA and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as well as before EU and national competent authorities on compliance and enforcement issues, including withdrawals and recalls of unsafe or non-compliant products. 

Contact: email: bartl@khlaw.com; phone: +32 (0) 2 645 5085

Neelam Gill, Counsel, resident in the firm’s Washington, DC office, practices in the area of food and drug law and tobacco and e-vapor law. In her tobacco and e-vapor practice, Neelam advises tobacco, e-cigarette, and e-liquid manufacturers, distributors, retailers, suppliers, and trade associations on FDA, state, and global regulatory compliance issues. In the food and drug arena, she assists clients with a variety of FDA regulatory matters and labeling issues. Ms. Gill advises clients on preparation of FDA submissions, including premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs), substantial equivalence (SE) reports, tobacco product master files (TPMFs), and quality issues pertaining to the entire tobacco and nicotine product lifecycle.

Contact: email: gilln@khlaw.com; phone: +1 202.434.4292

Eric Gu, Senior Regulatory Counsel, resident in the firm’s Shanghai office, practices in the area of food and food packaging law. He counsels clients on food labeling, food ingredients and food packaging compliance matters. In addition, he counsels clients on regulatory issues with respect to other products, including cosmetics, drug/drug excipients, tobacco and e-cigarettes, and other consumer products. He frequently assists clients in obtaining important pre-market approvals and permits, including approvals of new food packaging substances, the food production license, and the drug excipient registration. Eric’s regulatory experience is expansive and extends to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia, the European Union and the United States.

Contact: email: gue@khlaw.com; phone: +86 21 6335 1000

– Washington, DC – International regulatory law firm Keller and Heckman LLP augments Japanese client offerings with the addition of Takashi (TK) Namba, Advisor - Japanese Relations.

Mr. Namba will assist Keller and Heckman attorneys in guiding the firm’s clients through the myriad of international legal and regulatory compliance issues with a particular emphasis on Japanese industry. He will interface with government officials, trade associations executives, and clients to address complex regulatory compliance concepts. He is a talented business advisor and has spent his career working across various markets in Japan, the EU, Latin America, and the U.S., gaining an appreciation of the cultural nuances of conducting business worldwide. Mr. Namba has specialized in the polymer and additives industry for more than 18 years, experience that will serve Keller and Heckman clients well.

“I initially met TK 10 years ago and was immediately impressed with his extensive knowledge of the global food-contact industry and the industry’s related regulating agencies, such as Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the European Chemical Agency (ECHA), as well as MERCOSUR,” said Mitzi Clark, a partner in Keller and Heckman’s Food and Drug Practice Group. “Working with TK has always been a pleasure due to his passion for his profession and his complete understanding of the issues that industry faces. I am delighted that he is now part of the Keller and Heckman team, and I look forward to introducing him to our clients.”

Richard Mann, Chair of Keller and Heckman’s Management Committee commented on Mr. Namba’s position as Advisor - Japanese Relations, as well as his technical experience. “Being able to offer this additional level of service to our clients in Japan has been on the firm’s radar for a long time; however, finding someone with TK’s technical skill set has proven more difficult. TK’s formal education in Industrial Chemistry and Polymer Science exemplifies Keller and Heckman’s model, Serving Business through Law and Science. Naturally, TK is a perfect fit for this exciting new position.”

Mr. Namba, noting his appreciation for Keller and Heckman’s steadfast dedication to the food packaging and food industries, explains why joining the team was an easy decision: “I have been involved in food packaging for 18 years and have had the pleasure to work with Keller and Heckman attorneys for more than half of that time. They always went above and beyond with every project that I brought to them and involved their in-house team of scientists, bringing strategic solutions to the table. It is an honor for me to be a part of this dynamic team and to bring my insights and perspectives to an already exceptional practice.”

Mr. Namba’s robust background, including his expertise in Japanese business relations, provides Keller and Heckman clients another facet to a distinguished global practice.

Mr. Namba received his M.S. in Polymer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology and his B.S. in Industrial Chemistry from Kobe University in Kobe, Japan.

About Keller and Heckman

Keller and Heckman is an internationally renowned law firm with a broad practice in the areas of regulatory law, public policy, and litigation. From offices around the world, we represent global companies and trade associations servicing a range of industries, including food and food additives, plastics, pesticides, industrial and specialty chemicals, consumer products, drugs and medical devices, transportation, and telecommunications. We are a pioneer in the use of interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving with an in-house scientific staff that works closely with the attorneys on matters of technical complexity.