Ricardo Carvajal

Ricardo Carvajal works with manufacturers and marketers of food and dietary supplements, OTC drugs, and cosmetics on a range of FDA, USDA, and FTC regulatory issues. Mr. Carvajal advises clients ranging from start-ups to multinational companies at all points in the supply chain, including bulk ingredient manufacturers, distributors of packaged goods, and retailers. He counsels clients on the regulatory status of ingredients and finished products, and provides advice on compliance with labeling and advertising requirements. He helps clients interpret and comment on the implementation of new requirements, such as those arising from the Food Safety Modernization Act, and those applicable to the production and marketing of hemp and its derivatives. He also has expertise in FDA’s regulation of bioengineered plants and animals.

In enforcement matters, Mr. Carvajal counsels clients on managing inspections, responding to warning letters and other enforcement actions by federal and state regulators, and resolving import detentions. He also helps clients navigate product recalls and related corrective actions. Mr. Carvajal applies his subject matter expertise to corporate transactions, issuing opinions and conducting due diligence for acquisitions and IPOs.Mr. Carvajal’s approach to counseling clients draws on insights gained in his former role as an Associate Chief Counsel at FDA, where he counseled the agency on a variety of rulemaking and enforcement activities and policy initiatives. Mr. Carvajal has served on the Food and Dietary Supplements Committee and the Global Committee of the Food and Drug Law Institute, and as Chair of the Public Policy Outreach and Implementation Task Force of the Institute of Food Technologists. He is also a member of the American Bar Association