Consumer Brands CPG Legal Forum

Consumer Brands CPG Legal Forum

• Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
• Monday, February 26, 2024 12:00 PM - Wednesday, February 28, 2024 12:30 PM PST

The Consumer Brands CPG Legal Forum is the premier gathering for legal professionals in the consumer packaged goods industry from household and personal care to food and beverage products. Covington lawyers will speak over the course of the conference educating attendees on top-of-mind legal issues.

Click here for additional information and to register.

Panels:

• Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
  Tracing Standards of Identity and Product Information (Regulatory & Legislation)
  Product information is the currency of stakeholders, investors, plaintiffs and consumers. This session will explore legal dynamics on product composition and ingredient traceability issues including FDA Food Traceability Rule, tracking prohibited and restricted ingredients in cosmetics, how companies can leverage and foster information about suppliers and other supply chain stakeholders, legislative proposals on the horizon, as well as state and federal advisories.

Moderated by: Kevin Boot, Senior Regulatory Counsel, Whole Foods Market, Sharon Mayl, Partner, DLA Piper US, Jessica O’Connell, Partner, Covington and Burling LLP, Brian Sylvester, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP

• Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
  Advertising and Marketing Claims Vetting
  Our faculty will discuss practical strategies on how legal can work synergistically with other company constituents on product development strategy, advertising claims and promotional practices, including vetting and translating substantiation, consulting relevant laws and recent holdings, and managing product disclosures.

Moderated by: Kelly Foos, Associate General Counsel, Post Holdings; Jeffrey Greenbaum, Partner, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC; Miriam Guggenheim, Partner, Covington and Burling LLP

• Being Resolute at Pre-Suit
  As demand letters are often an initial pre-litigation step, our faculty will explore practical strategies for pre-suit dynamics while profiling some common trends from NGO’s and the plaintiff’s bar, when to consider settlement and evaluation of going the distance in litigation.

Speakers: Cort Lannin, Partner, Covington and Burling LLP; Matt Orr, Partner, Amin Talati Wasserman; LLP, Ron Rothstein, Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP; Erik Swanholt, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP

• Consumer Protection Issues for the CPG Industry: State AG’s, FTC & DOJ
  Given the size of the CPG industry it has seen its share of issues with State AG’s and the FTC. Our experts impart their government service and private practice experience on how to navigate investigations and respond to inquiries, as well as the top consumer protection issues that the CPG industry faces.

Speakers: Svetlana Gans, Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Daniel Kaufman, Partner, Baker & Hostetler LLP; Christopher Leach, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP; Andrew Smith, Partner, Covington & Burling LLP

• Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
  Roundtable: Review of NAD and other Self-Regulatory Organizations
  From comparative claims by competitors to allegations of unsubstantiated ESG claims, industry self-regulation has created its own body of precedent which, while not legally binding, is crucial for the CPG legal community. As self-regulatory organizations continue to develop precedent on claim substantiation and ESG issues, what are the implications for brands.

Speakers: Laura Kim, Partner Covington and Burling LLP and Jessica O’Connell, Partner, Covington and Burling LLP

• Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
  A sustainable path for CPG Green Claims
  Commitment to sustainability and promotion of environmental benefits is a unifying aspect of the CPG industry while also presenting unified challenge. This session will discuss how to approach sustainability claims given litigation and reputational challenges, a pulse check on potential updates to the Federal Trade Commission Green Guides, sorting out climate science, public nuisance allegations, and how to implement a protective yet innovative approach to novel environmental claims.

Moderated by: Joseph Aquilina, Senior Director & Associate General Counsel, Consumer Brands Association; William Cole, Partner, Amin Talati Wasserman, LLP; Perlette Jura, Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Laura Kim, Partner, Covington & Burling LLP; Arianna Scavetti, Partner, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

• Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
  In the Crosshairs: The CPG Litigation Review
  From class actions on a range of flavors, ingredients quality and quantity claims, litigation trends from the last year to more novel challenges for food companies on environmental issues, there are a vast array of issues fueling the class action and plaintiff’s’ bar appetites. Don’t miss your seat at the table to hear about trends in filings, active jurisdictions, ingredient and labeling vulnerability, notable rulings and settlements.

Moderated by: Ani Gulati, Chief Litigation Counsel, General Mills, Inc.; Dean Panos, Partner, Jenner and Block LLP; Cort Lannin, Partner, Covington and Burling LLP; Charles Sipos, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP; Angela Spivey, Partner, Alston and Bird LLP