OFW Law Adds Team From Benjamin England & Associates

WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2023 / Two of the nation's premier firms focusing on food, drugs, agriculture, and medical device clients are joining forces to help clients better navigate changing complexities in public policy, science, innovation, technology, and consumer preferences. Today, Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC (OFW Law) announced that the team of experienced FDA, customs and trade, litigation, and regulatory attorneys and advisors of Benjamin L England & Associates (BLEA) will be joining the firm effective May 1, 2023.

Mason Weeda, OFW Law Co-Managing Principal, observed, "The international trade, regulation, and litigation landscapes are rapidly changing, particularly for companies and products regulated by FDA, USDA, Customs, EPA and FTC." Weeda added, "The combination of the two firms makes sense because it allows OFW Law to provide a legal and regulatory approach for clients that is integrated and internationally aware, which is critical to a regulated business's success today due to emerging issues."

OFW Law's expanded bench will have significant experience to assist clients with such emerging issues, e.g., the new Farm Bill, new cosmetics and dietary supplement regulatory authority, cannabis, and CBD regulation, FDA food program reorganization, enhanced focus on contaminants, drug supply chain security and drug quality, Customs forced labor investigations, Prop 65 and consumer litigation threats, decoupling with China, and the new necessity of near-shoring.

"The addition of BLEA's depth of experience in customs and trade, Prop 65, and consumer litigation defense will be particularly helpful to OFW Law's existing clients, and their team will further deepen our bench with respect to regulatory matters," noted Brett Schwemer, OFW Law Co-Managing Principal.

Benjamin England agreed, "The combination of our two firms will give BLEA clients the benefit of OFW Law's government relations team and the ability to add strategic policy advice; it will also strengthen our capabilities to provide compliance and enforcement advice to our FDA- and USDA-regulated clients."

OFW Law, founded in 1979, is known for providing exceptional legal, regulatory, and bipartisan government affairs representation to companies, individuals, and trade associations in the agriculture, food, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries. OFW Law serves all segments of FDA and USDA-regulated businesses, including manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and the trade associations that represent these businesses. OFW Law's government relations group provides strategic advice and counsel to clients seeking collaboration with policymakers in Congress, the White House, and federal agencies.

Benjamin England, Esq. formed BLEA in 2008 after a 17-year career at FDA. Similar to OFW Law, BLEA is renowned for its counsel to food, medical device, and drug companies navigating FDA laws and policies. The firm boasts over 100 years of former FDA experience in foods, drugs, medical devices, and all levels of administrative, civil, and criminal enforcement. BLEA also is qualified and licensed to provide compliance counsel and litigation defense in California Prop 65 and other commercial and consumer defense litigation matters. BLEA attorneys have extensive experience in customs and international trade law that far surpasses basic FDA import issues (e.g., alerts, detentions, refusals) or USDA emergency action notices, but includes all levels of Customs enforcement, import/export compliance, and forced labor counsel, representation, and defense.

With the addition of the BLEA team, OFW Law will have over 35 attorneys, policy advisors, regulatory advisors/specialists, trade lawyers, and litigators, allowing the firm to meet a broader range of client needs in food, agriculture, cosmetics, dietary supplements, medical products, healthcare, and other highly regulated industries, both domestic and foreign.

For more information contact Brett Schwemer, bschwemer@ofwlaw.com

Contact Information

Brett Schwemer
Co-Managing Principal
bschwemer@ofwlaw.com
202-789-1212

SOURCE: OFW Law