Beth’s practice includes the following:

• Advising clients on proactive and tactical defense of claims and litigation dockets based on both short-term and long-term business objectives.
• Actively participating in the defense of lawsuits at discovery, motion, trial and appellate phases.
• Strategizing with clients to protect product reputation and brand integrity, implementing non-judicial plans, and pursuing legal action, as necessary.
• Developing organization-specific protocols for cross-functional processes aimed at minimizing risk, ensuring product safety and quality, and enhancing compliance with applicable standards and regulations.
• Developing and working with a North American network of experienced local counsel trained in efficient, effective and focused case handling procedures.
• Drafting, interpreting and implementing risk allocation and indemnity clauses throughout supply and distribution chains.
• Designing, evaluating and auditing product literature, warnings, instructions and internal quality assurance, document retention, risk management and claims processes for compliance with standards and overall effectiveness.
• Representation on Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) matters involving compliance, reporting, advocacy, full investigations and design/implementation of recalls and management of similar matters with product safety agencies in other countries (e.g., Health Canada).
• Participation in standards-making processes (ANSI, ASTM, CMA, SIS and ISO) as an industry expert on behalf of clients to minimize risks to industries generally, and individual clients, specifically.
• Working with a broad range of clients, from small closely held to Fortune 100 companies.
• Overseeing and facilitating resolution of product-related business issues including intellectual property matters, product disparagement, supply chain management, indemnity and contract disputes.

Standards Development and Harmonization

• Serves as a North American industry expert on ISO working group to develop and harmonize global standard for power tools.
• Client representative to standard developer trade association for maintenance and renewal of ANSI standard, successfully withstanding an appellate challenge.
• On behalf of iconic American glassmaker, initiated, organized and developed first-ever voluntary standard for glass bakeware.
• Serves on ASTM committee and task force for candle safety with regulators and industry experts on behalf of America’s oldest candlemaker.
• Representing multiple foreign and domestic manufacturers in a power tool sector, created and organized a Safety Alliance with NIOSH, labor unions, industry trade association and other labor groups.

Medical Devices & Drugs

• Implemented and coordinated global Class 1 recall initiated by FDA of a medical device and first-chaired subsequent litigation against contract manufacturer for reimbursement of recall expenses and lost profits.
• Guided client through complex regulatory framework for combination product subject to FDA and EPA regulations.
• Issues opinion letters on FDA jurisdictional issues relating to emerging software and AI – aid medical technology.
• Assist multiple clients with FDA warning letters and audits.

Hand & Power Tools

• Serves as national coordinating counsel for international and domestic manufacturers of pneumatic, electric and battery-operated nailers, staplers, screwdrivers and other fastening devices and accessories.
• Serves as national coordinating counsel for Fortune 200 company’s manufacturing division of hand-held torches and distributor of gas cylinders.
• Serves as U.S. counsel to multiple Japanese tool manufacturers.

 Consumer Products

• Serves as national coordinating and product safety counsel for manufacturer of glass, bakeware, tableware, utensils and home accessories under iconic American brands.
• Serves as product safety counsel to America’s oldest candle manufacturer.
• Advises and represents clients on consumer product regulation, including Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reporting, investigations, and recalls.
• Obtained “no jurisdiction” ruling from CPSC on behalf of a Fortune 200 manufacturer
• Obtained “no action” findings on behalf of multiple clients before the CPSC.
• Manages and coordinates North American reports and recalls involving Health Canada and CPSC.
• Developed and implemented North American market withdraw of residential power surge protectors and successfully pursued private-label manufacturers for 100% reimbursement of related expenses.

Cosmetics

• Outside regulatory counsel for direct-to-consumer online cosmetic company on MoCRA compliance and California Prop 65 matters.

Juvenile Products

• Served as national coordinating counsel for manufacturers of children’s products, including commercial playground equipment and toys.
• Serves as local litigation counsel for manufacturer of baby products.

Food Industry

• Serves as national counsel for a distributor of flavorings in diacetyl and diacetyl-substitute cases and local counsel for additional food flavoring manufacturers.

Industrial Equipment

• Designed, organized, and successfully implemented a corrective action plan involving industrial welders in the field and distribution channels.
• Organized a cross-functional corrective action team and successfully guided the retrieval of hundreds of thousands of surge protectors in the field and throughout a complex distribution network involving dealers, franchisees, and retail service providers on behalf of a global energy and services company; then, recouping the costs from the upstream suppliers.
• Serves as product safety counsel to Fortune 500 American manufacturer of industrial machinery with global sourcing and distribution.

Fire & Explosion

• Serves as national coordinating counsel defending manufacturers and distributors of propane and MAPP gas torches and cylinders.
• Organized a cross-functional corrective action team and successfully guided the retrieval of hundreds of thousands of surge protectors in the field and throughout a complex distribution network involving dealers, franchisees, and retail service providers on behalf of a global energy and services company; then, recouping the costs from the upstream suppliers.

Chemical Exposure

• Serves as California Proposition 65 counsel to companies in diverse industries throughout the supply chain.
• Serves as national counsel for a distributor of flavorings in diacetyl and diacetyl-substitute cases and local counsel for additional food flavoring manufacturers.
• Served as lead toxic tort counsel for a national lawn care company.