Keller and Heckman’s Food and Drug practice has been ranked Band 4 in the Chambers Greater China Guide in the area of Life Sciences (International Firms). Additionally, Partner David Ettinger received the prestigious Band 4 ranking in the same category. This Chambers and Partners guide identifies the leading law firm practices and attorneys based on extensive client feedback in addition to robust independent research. Both practices and independent attorneys are ranked based on effectiveness and achievements, experience, and value delivered to clients.

Keller and Heckman’s Food and Drug team in the Shanghai, China office has particularly strong expertise in the food industries throughout Asia-Pacific. The practice is adept at advising on a variety of compliance and regulatory matters and obtaining clearance and approval for alternative proteins and other novel foods, food additives, food packaging materials, drugs, and medical devices.

David Ettinger is the chief representative in Keller and Heckman’s Shanghai, China office. David counsels multinational companies on food (with a unique emphasis on alternative proteins including plant- and cell-based foods) and food packaging, as well as consumer and tobacco-related products. He assists clients in navigating the import and export of goods to ensure compliance with regulations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. David also counsels companies in China and throughout Asia on matters ranging from ingredient and labeling, to product seizure and detention, to food and consumer product recalls and consumer complaints.

Along with its inclusion in the Chambers Greater China Guide, Keller and Heckman’s international Food and Drug Practice garners rankings in the Chambers USA Guide and Chambers Europe Guide. These rankings further demonstrate Keller and Heckman’s international standing as a leader in the food, drug, and packaging law industries.

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, they 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. 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.
 

Keller and Heckman LLP is pleased to announce that Ales Bartl has been promoted to Partner and Sara Gaines has been promoted to Counsel.

Ales Bartl, Partner, resident in the firm’s Brussels office, advises clients on regulatory compliance of a broad range of products marketed in Europe. Ales primarily focuses on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH); the Classification, Labelling, and Packaging (CLP) Regulation; the Biocidal Products Regulation; the Fertilizer Regulation; food law; the regulation of electronic products; and product safety matters. He represents 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 potentially unsafe or non-compliant products. 

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

Sara Gaines, Counsel, resident in the firm’s Washington, DC office, advises domestic and international clients regarding global compliance with food additive and food packaging regulations, focusing on the United States, Europe, South America (MERCOSUR), China, and Japan. In addition to her work assisting corporate and individual clients regarding requirements for food-contact materials, Sara works with trade associations to monitor emerging issues facing the packaging industry globally and domestically at both the state and federal levels. Through engagement with government representatives and public interest groups, she develops strategic industry responses and initiatives that encourage packaging innovation and ensure the continued safety of the packaged food supply.

Contact: email: gaines@khlaw.com; phone: +1 202.434.4108

Keller and Heckman Partner Azim Chowdhury, Counsel Neelam Gill, and Associate Josephine Hsu received the 2022 “Go-To Thought Leader” award from the National Law Review under the “Biotech, Food and Drug” category. 

Azim, Neelam, and Josephine received this distinction for their March 16, 2022 article, FDA Receives Authorization to Regulate Synthetic Nicotine, which provided a timely analysis of Congress’ decision to expand the definition of a “tobacco product” in the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to include not just products derived from tobacco, but products that contain nicotine from any source, including synthetic nicotine. The National Law Review recognized the article, which reached roughly 100,000 readers, as demonstrating high-quality thought leadership and providing valuable guidance for attorneys and industry professionals, especially in the constantly evolving nicotine regulation landscape. 

The 2022 “Go-To Thought Leadership Awards” recognize exceptional authors and legal organizations for their reporting of complex legislative and litigation needs, as well as their strategic insight and overall legal industry knowledge. The National Law Review’s editors selected 75 articles from a pool of 12,000 contributed pieces to receive these awards. Less than 1% of the National Law Review contributing authors are recognized each year.