—Washington, DC— Keller and Heckman LLP is pleased to announce that prominent chemical regulatory attorney Lauren Gates has joined the firm as counsel. Lauren comes to Keller and Heckman from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where she served for many years as a senior lawyer in the Pesticides and Toxic Substances Law Office (PTSLO) within EPA’s Office of General Counsel. There she advised officials within EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), and EPA Regional offices on all matters arising under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). She also provided legal subject matter guidance to the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division in connection with its defense of litigation challenging a wide range of FIFRA and TSCA rules and other final agency actions.

In addition to focusing on regulatory counseling and litigation, Lauren also has significant experience supporting EPA regulatory enforcement actions brought in EPA Region 10 under FIFRA, the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).   

Lauren joins another former senior EPA chemical regulatory attorney, Keller and Heckman Partner David Fischer. David served as Deputy Assistant Administrator within OCSPP during the first Trump Administration. In addition, the firm’s FIFRA-TSCA practice includes senior attorney, Allison Payne, who previously served in EPA’s Office of General Counsel. Lauren, David, and Allison, together with their Keller and Heckman colleagues, including a stellar team of attorneys and scientists, bring unsurpassed insight in navigating significant decision-making processes within EPA’s chemicals and regional offices. 

“Lauren’s firsthand experience inside EPA offers our team and our clients a unique and practical viewpoint on regulatory decision-making,” said Herb Estreicher, a partner in Keller and Heckman’s Environmental practice. “Her insights will be instrumental in helping clients successfully navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.”

“We are delighted to welcome Lauren to Keller and Heckman,” said Jeff Keithline, Chair of Keller and Heckman’s Management Committee. He emphasized Lauren’s ability to bridge legal and scientific disciplines, a defining feature of the firm’s practice. “Lauren reflects our firm’s dedication to combining legal insight with scientific understanding to support our clients’ business goals.”

Lauren’s arrival further strengthens the firm’s capabilities in advising clients across a wide range of environmental, chemical, and pesticide regulatory matters. Her experience within the Agency will enhance the firm’s ability to provide practical, forward-looking guidance to clients operating in highly regulated industries.

“I was drawn to Keller and Heckman because of its outstanding reputation for sophisticated, global, and interdisciplinary chemical regulatory work, its collegial culture, and its deep commitment to helping innovative companies navigate complex, high-stakes matters,” said Lauren. “I’m excited to join a team that is so highly regarded for strategic counsel across the full range of chemical regulatory, enforcement, and public policy issues.”

Lauren received her J.D. from Vermont Law School and her B.S. in Biology from Fairmont State University.

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, our attorneys represent global companies and trade associations servicing a range of industries, including advertising, food and food additives, tobacco and e-vapor, plastics, pesticides, industrial and specialty chemicals, consumer products, drugs and medical devices, transportation, and communications and technology. Keller and Heckman is 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.

Premier event for legal, regulatory, and scientific professionals in the food-contact industry returns October 27–28, 2026, covering global compliance, FDA post-market reviews, and packaging sustainability.

Keller and Heckman LLP has announced its 27th Annual Food Packaging Law Seminar, taking place October 27–28, 2026, at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

Led by Keller and Heckman’s interdisciplinary team of food packaging attorneys, chemists, and toxicologists, the two-day comprehensive seminar serves as the industry’s flagship gathering for legal, regulatory, and technical experts navigating the evolving landscape of food-contact materials.

Seminar Highlights & Key Topics
Designed for professionals across the manufacturing, conversion, distribution, recycling, and advisory sectors, the 2026 program offers actionable insights into both foundational regulations and emerging legal challenges:

• Global Regulatory Foundations: Comprehensive overview of food packaging laws across Canada, China, EU, Japan, MECOSUR countries, South Korea, and U.S.
• FDA Oversight & Risk Assessment: Updates on FDA activities regarding Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) determinations, post-market reviews, and cumulative risk assessment methodologies.
• Supply Chain & Quality Assurance: Best practices for managing Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and customer assurance requirements.
• Sustainability & Environmental Compliance: Emerging legal frameworks and policy trends surrounding sustainable packaging initiatives in North America and Europe, such as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

In addition to deep-dive educational sessions, attendees will receive a Certificate of Attendance and are eligible to earn Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits (pending individual state approvals). Day 1 will conclude with a complimentary evening networking dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House.

To review the full agenda, registration fees, and hotel reservation details, visit the 2026 Annual Food Packaging Law Seminar Portal.

About Keller and Heckman LLP

Keller and Heckman LLP is an international law firm with a broad-based practice in regulatory law, public policy, and litigation. Established in 1962, the firm is widely recognized as a pioneer in using an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving, pairing an in-house team of scientists with seasoned regulatory attorneys. From offices around the globe, Keller and Heckman assists clients—including major trade associations and international corporations—with regulatory compliance, product safety, and risk management across industries such as food packaging, specialty chemicals, consumer products, drugs, and medical devices. For more information, visit khlaw.com.