William J. Friedman

William J. Friedman is an experienced litigator and government affairs attorney.  He routinely advises clients on market access, quality control and government approval for a wide range of consumer products, including food and cosmetics.

In addition to his litigation experience and board certification as an appellate specialist, Mr. Friedman’s diverse experiences includes service as a Senior Legal Advisor and Chief of Staff at the Federal Communications Commission, Senior Fellow at Duke Law School, teaching a combination of communications, digital intellectual property, and competition law.  Mr. Friedman also served two administrations as a member of the National Organic Standards Board at USDA.

Representative Matters

• All One Faith v. Hain et al., Cal. Dist. Ct. Nos. CGC-08-474701 and 474413 (June 1, 2009) (dismissing unfair practices case against organic cosmetic companies).
• McFarland v. Kempthorne, 545 F.3d 1106 (9th Cir. 2008) (upholding lower court victory protecting natural parks).
• House v. Hatch, 527 F.3d 1010 (Tenth Cir. 2008) (resolving constitutional question on criminal jury selection).
• Harvey v. Johanns, 494 F.3d 237 (1st Cir. 2007) (affirming industry argument regarding organic product standards).
• Pub. L. No. 109-97, 119 Stat. 2120 (November 2005) (lead counsel for organic industry in key change to federal organic products law).

Publications and Speeches

• "Congress Passes New Food Safety Legislation," Covington E-Alert (9/21/2007), Co-Author
• "First Circuit Resolves Challenge to USDA Regulation of Organic Processed Food Products; Court Recognizes Importance of Interplay of Three Branches of Government," Covington E-Alert (9/3/2007), Co-Author
• "FDA Releases Dietary Supplement CGMP Final Rule," Covington E-Alert (6/29/2007), Co-Author