Chris brings more than a decade of experience as a federal regulator, a deep understanding of the consumer goods regulatory landscape, and a passion for protecting consumers and the environment from systemic market and governance failures. After spending much of his career at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Chris offers clients rare insight into how regulators think, how compliance decisions are evaluated, and how companies can build practices that are both legally sound and aligned with public health.

From Public to Private: Still on the Right Side

Chris started his career in a chief counsel’s office at a national security agency, cutting his teeth in the general law division by working on everything from collective bargaining agreements and employee grievances to ethics advice and appropriations law. He yearned to get into an agency whose mission was to protect public health and consumers, which led him to a regulatory counsel position at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Chris has always been interested in how the decisions we make as consumers, governments, and corporations affect the health of the planet and our bodies. Working at the crossroads of policy and law, Chris spent the next decade honing his skills as a policy advocate and legal counselor working his way up as a supervisor and branch chief at the FDA. 

Chris’s work focused on critical matters affecting the safety and availability of the US food supply. He participated in inspections of facilities under the transformative preventive controls rule, which aims to reduce common hazards found in products. He advised on the admissibility into the US of imported food suspected of adulteration and unlawful food additives. He worked to inform the public about recalls of products presenting serious health concerns and drafted legislation that would grant more authority for federal officials to investigate the sources of food-borne illnesses. He also helped oversee the under-regulated cosmetic product industry, helping to write new rules and policies implementing the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act.

Drive Accountability, Recognize Compliance

Chris hopes to transfer the invaluable insight gained at the forefront of the world’s leading public health agency to his work in the private sector. Benchline’s unique position as both a consumer litigator and company advisor provides an excellent opportunity to go after people and corporations that flout modest laws on safety and truthfulness, but also advise responsible companies committed to operating lawfully.  He is excited to carry on the fight for a more safe, fair, and healthy world.

Bar admissions:

J.D., New England Law Boston

B.A., Political Science, West Virginia University

Bar Admissions: Massachusetts; D.C. practice supervised by D.C. bar members.