Joefred C. Uwaelue

Joefred (Joe) Uwaelue counsels clients on domestic and foreign regulatory and compliance requirements related to food, food contact materials (such as packaging), food additives, and drug and medical device packaging. He assists companies in obtaining premarket regulatory clearances in the United States (U.S.) and internationally for food contact materials and color additives.

Joe drafts legal opinions for clients evaluating packaging components, including resins and additives, as well as adhesives, printing inks, and colorants. He also guides clients on environmental issues related to packaging, including applicable U.S. laws and regulations governing environmental labeling and advertising, and the use of recycled materials, microplastics, and nanomaterials in food and drug contact applications. 

Before joining Keller and Heckman, Joe was a regulatory consultant at a global research and consulting firm, where he guided clients through compliance with existing and emerging Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) regulations and advised on the potential business implications of these requirements.

While in law school, Joe served as Notes Editor for the Public Contract Law Journal, earned the Kahan Health/FDA Law Fellowship, and was a member of the GW Law Moot Court Board.

Representative Matters

• Performed regulatory reviews of food contact materials to assess compliance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Union (EU), Canada, China, Japan, and MERCOSUR laws and regulations
• Advised clients with securing Letters of No Objection (LNOs) for their plastic recycling processes
• Supported clients bringing to market new food contact materials such as biopolymers, paper and plastic additives, and components of food processing equipment