Matthew F. Watson

Matthew (Matt) Watson advises domestic and international clients on regulatory and compliance matters related to food and drug law, with a focus on food packaging and food contact materials. He assists clients in establishing regulatory clearances for these products under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laws and regulations and comparable requirements worldwide.

Matt helps clients meet regulatory obligations and bring new products to market in the United States (U.S.), the European Union (EU), Canada, Central America, South America (MERCOSUR), Japan, and China. He is well-versed in requirements for new food contact materials, including good manufacturing practices (GMP), chemical risk assessments, and testing requirements.

Prior to joining Keller and Heckman, Matt participated in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Student Honors Law Clerk Program in the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, where he collaborated with EPA attorneys to develop an enforcement training guide concerning the National Pretreatment Program. He also gained industry experience in sales and marketing at food and agricultural technology companies, ensuring claims and labeling compliance with FDA regulations and assisting in the development of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans to address food safety concerns. This background enables Matt to provide integrated scientific and regulatory strategies that support clients through product development, production, and marketing.  

During law school, Matt served as an associate member of the Pace Law Review and clerked in Pace’s Food and Beverage Transactional Law Clinic, where he advised clients on farm leases, buy-sell agreements, and corporate structuring. He also served on the Executive Board of the National Food Law Student Network, creating opportunities for law students to gain experience with substantive food law projects under attorney mentorship.

Representative Matters

• Provided counsel and support to clients in submitting Food Contact Notifications (FCNs) to FDA to obtain regulatory clearances for food contact substances
• Assisted clients in the preparation of submission materials to obtain regulatory clearances for food packaging materials in jurisdictions worldwide
• Provided counsel and support to clients in establishing compliance with GMP requirements and regulations administered by FDA
• Performed regulatory review of food contact materials to assess compliance with European Union, MERCOSUR, and Japanese food contact laws and regulations
• Assisted clients in the recycled plastics industry in obtaining letters of no objection (LNO) for their recycling processes from FDA