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Tag: Keller and Heckman

  • Van-Tull to Lead D.C. Bar Association

    Van-Tull to Lead D.C. Bar Association

    LieAnn Van-Tull (Photo: Keller and Heckman)

    LieAnn Van-Tull, an associate with Keller and Heckman’s food and drug packaging and tobacco and e-vapor practice groups, was sworn in as president-elect of the Washington Bar Association (WBA) on June 1, 2022.

    “I feel honored to have the opportunity to serve an organization that provides an avenue for attorneys to excel,” said Van-Tull. “I have enjoyed contributing to the WBA as secretary, former membership chair, and as an active committee member, and look forward to expanding my impact as president. In particular, I am eager to broaden the organization’s membership base, create new mentorship and leadership opportunities, and further its advocacy efforts for underrepresented members of the legal community.”

    The WBA is the oldest and largest predominantly Black bar association in Washington, DC. Founded in 1925, the WBA consistent with the philosophy of Houstonian jurisprudence, is dedicated to improving and protecting the well-being of the legal profession and its members, advancing the science of jurisprudence and the administration of justice, and promoting diversity while preventing discrimination within the legal field.

    “LieAnn exemplifies a commitment to legal excellence, community engagement and enhancing diversity in the legal profession,” said Cynthia Lieberman, the chair of Keller and Heckman’s diversity and inclusion committee. “We could not be more thrilled to see her elected to the Washington Bar Association’s executive leadership team.”

    “LieAnn’s new position at the Washington Bar Association showcases her dedication to protecting equal justice under the law and inspires the firm in our own pursuit for increasing diversity in the workplace,” said Richard Mann, chair of Keller and Heckman’s management committee.

    Van-Tull will assume the role of WBA president in June 2023 for the 2023-2024 bar year.

  • Daniel McGee Joins Keller and Heckman

    Daniel McGee Joins Keller and Heckman

    Photo: akub Jirsák | Dreamstime.com

    Daniel P. McGee has joined Keller and Heckman’s expanding tobacco and vapor practice as counsel.

    Prior to joining Keller and Heckman, McGee worked as in-house counsel for several multinational tobacco, vapor and CBD companies, where he honed his skills advising on compliance and regulatory issues related to tobacco, vapor, nicotine, hemp, CBD and related products.

    McGee has experience counseling companies on a broad range of complex tobacco and U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulatory matters and developing strategies to help companies bring new products to market.

    “Daniel’s expertise and industry perspective will be invaluable to Keller and Heckman clients who are carefully navigating the challenges and pitfalls of a highly regulated and rapidly evolving legal landscape,” said Azim Chowdhury, a Partner in the firm’s tobacco and vapor and food and drug practices.

    “In addition to expanding our tobacco and e-vapor capabilities, we are especially looking forward to utilizing Daniel’s expertise in state law compliance, particularly for clients expanding into the hemp and CBD categories.”

    “The addition of Daniel to our practice demonstrates Keller and Heckman’s commitment to helping our clients understand and comply with continuously evolving regulations in this growing field,” said Richard Mann, chair of Keller and Heckman’s management committee.

    “I am honored to work with Keller and Heckman’s experienced team of tobacco and e-vapor attorneys and to share the corporate perspective with my new colleagues,” said McGee. “After spending the bulk of my legal career as in-house counsel to the tobacco industry, I made a strategic decision to focus on the industry as a whole and join a law firm that is a leader in tobacco regulatory compliance and public policy initiatives.”

    McGee received his J.D. degree from the University of Oregon School of Law and his B.A. degree from Boston College, where he graduated with honors.

  • Promotions at Keller and Heckman

    Promotions at Keller and Heckman

    Neelam Gill and Eric Gu (Photos: Keller and Heckman)

    Keller and Heckman, a law firm specializing in the tobacco and vaping industries, has promoted Neelam Gill to counsel and Eric Gu to senior regulatory counselor.

    A resident in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, Gill practices in the area of food and drug law and tobacco and e-vapor law. In her tobacco and e-vapor practice, she advises tobacco, e-cigarette and e-liquid manufacturers, distributors, retailers, suppliers and trade associations on FDA, state and global regulatory compliance issues.

    In the food and drug arena, she assists clients with a variety of FDA regulatory matters and labeling issues. Gill advises clients on preparation of FDA submissions, including premarket tobacco product applications, substantial equivalence reports, tobacco product master files and quality issues pertaining to the entire tobacco and nicotine product lifecycle.

    A resident in Keller & Heckman’s Shanghai office, Gu practices in the area of food and food packaging law. He counsels clients on food labeling, food ingredients and food packaging compliance matters. In addition, he counsels clients on regulatory issues with respect to other products, including cosmetics, drug/drug excipients, tobacco and e-cigarettes and other consumer products.

    Gu frequently assists clients in obtaining important premarket approvals and permits, including approvals of new food packaging substances, the food production license and the drug excipient registration. Gu’s regulatory experience extends to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia, the European Union and the United States.