General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer

• Nov 2013 - Present

• Serve as in-house counsel and a trusted senior management member, providing strategic recommendations to optimize operations and limit risk exposure of a dietary supplement company according to applicable regulations and laws. • Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, including nondisclosure, supply, vendor, online marketplace, quality, intellectual property licensing, service level agreements, private label contract manufacturing, distribution, and independent contractor agreements. • Counsel company on legal compliance, such as emerging cannabidiol (CBD) regulations. • Evaluate operations according to FDA, FTC, state laws, and international regulations. • Analyze and substantiate product claims, manage intellectual property, and obtain federal trademark recognitions. • Obtain patent and trade secret protection for key assets, including novel gelatin capsule technology and proprietary emulsion technology. • Implement processes to protect trade secrets from disclosure, perform clearance searches for trademarks, and freedom to operate regarding patents. • Manage human resources function according to employment, discrimination, safety, and confidentiality laws. • Handle litigation and achieve millions of dollars in cost savings, defending against a purported class action, first-chairing a trademark case, winning a complex negligence action, and obtaining a favorable settlement in a contested construction defect case. • Converted insurance denial of claims twice into change of coverage worth over three million dollars. Show less

Associate Attorney

• Apr 2009 - Nov 2013

• Served as a litigator at a fast-paced boutique civil litigation firm. • Resolved 175 negligence, medical malpractice, premises liability, and auto accident cases in four years. • Conducted negotiations, mediations, arbitrations, and trials, resulting in four jury trial wins and a $1.3M negligence verdict. • Drafted and argued brief of respondent before Division One Court of Appeals in Seattle, winning appeal against a major insurance carrier. • Served as a litigator at a fast-paced boutique civil litigation firm. • Resolved 175 negligence, medical malpractice, premises liability, and auto accident cases in four years. • Conducted negotiations, mediations, arbitrations, and trials, resulting in four jury trial wins and a $1.3M negligence verdict. • Drafted and argued brief of respondent before Division One Court of Appeals in Seattle, winning appeal against a major insurance carrier.

Legal Intern

• Jan 2008 - May 2008