Overview
McDermott’s Food, Beverage and Agribusiness group is one of the largest and most experienced full-service industry legal practices in the world. We represent more than 500 clients in this industry sector, and many of these relationships stretch back for decades. We advise participants at every link in the value chain, including growers, processors, input suppliers, cooperatives, food manufacturers, importers, distributors, trade associations, restaurants and other stakeholders, across the full range of issues affecting the production, distribution and marketing of food, beverages and related products.
The challenges—and opportunities—facing businesses in this sector are legion, and include complex domestic and international regulations, increasing cross-border business activity, multinational intellectual property protection, and the ongoing threat of civil and criminal litigation. To succeed, clients must work cooperatively with government officials and agencies across numerous jurisdictions to promote effective trade, tax and regulatory policy. Our experienced lawyers provide clients with the full suite of legal counsel, including regulatory, litigation, trade, antitrust, corporate, intellectual property and tax guidance.
We draw on the following core strengths to help our clients: top-ranked legal practices; our direct experience in emerging industry issues such as food safety, labeling, grower/manufacturer social contract policies, farm subsidies and international trade; and our extensive work in cross-border corporate and commercial transactions.
Nothing can replace firsthand legislative and regulatory experience. Our team includes partners who previously served in senior positions in numerous US federal agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ), on presidential commissions, on Capitol Hill, and in trade and industry associations.
Related Capabilities
China
Food, beverage and agricultural products have played an essential role in the growth of the Chinese economy. Companies with investments and operations in China face a host of rapidly multiplying laws and regulations in areas such as antitrust, tax, labor and employment, and intellectual property. Domestic and foreign businesses at every step in the production, distribution and retail chain also must address international trade, tariff, food safety and product liability concerns.
Government Strategies
Carefully targeted congressional and executive branch advocacy can be a cost-effective, pre-emptive strategy for many food, beverage and agribusiness companies in addressing legislative or regulatory impediments. Our experienced government relations lawyers help clients bring priority attention to a specific issue, move the discussion toward solutions that promote our clients’ interests, and help resolve problems that might otherwise languish within government bureaucracy. Our policy and legislative team has worked extensively on Capitol Hill and with US federal and state government agencies, and our reputation as a trusted contributor to legislative and policymaking processes allows us to maintain strong relationships with government decision makers. We design strategies, lobby officials directly, write testimony or public comments for official proceedings, and advance client interests by maintaining their visibility.
