Veronica Colas
Counsel Global Regulatory
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Overview
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Experience
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Credentials
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Insights and events
Chambers USA 2021"She is smart, knows the area well, always responds promptly and is attuned to commercial considerations when providing guidance."
Veronica Colas counsels clients on the regulations and policy issues affecting food companies from farm to table.
Using her keen awareness of today's class action litigation environment, Veronica helps develop new products, label claims, and advertising materials. She has a deep understanding of both current and forthcoming food labeling and production requirements ranging from nutrition and menu labeling, to the regulatory issues surrounding bioengineered foods and organic food production.
Veronica provides clear advice and practical solutions for compliance with labeling, advertising, and safety regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Consumer Product Safety Commission. She has significant experience in helping clients navigate regulatory enforcement challenges, such as recalls, Warning Letters, import detentions, and investigations by the Federal Trade Commission. Veronica works closely with trade associations and food companies to craft comments and develop strategies in response to public policy issues such as agency rulemaking and nutrition policy. She represents all segments of the food industry, including manufacturers, retailers, restaurants, and food service companies.
She is a regular speaker and contributor to industry publications, including providing training sessions to corporate clients on Food Law 101, food labeling and marketing, and claim substantiation.
Chambers USA 2021"She is smart, knows the area well, always responds promptly and is attuned to commercial considerations when providing guidance."
Representative experience
Developed comments on every labeling and nutrition-related issue in the last two administrations
Advocacy with FDA and the White House Office of Management and Budget, resulting in the agency establishing a different labeled serving size for a food category than originally proposed
Crafted successful requests for FDA enforcement discretion related to new nutrition labeling rules and removal of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) from the food supply
Advocacy with Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) leadership on alcohol beverage labeling modernization, resulting in increased flexibility in final rule
Developed strategy for meeting with FDA on labeling and marketing campaigns related to novel technologies
Negotiated private settlements to threatened litigation over food labeling claims
Advise on labeling changes to mitigate class action litigation risk
Addressed to FDA's satisfaction potential safety concerns about a caffeinated supplement
Credentials
- J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 2011
- B.A., Georgetown University, magna cum laude, 2008
- District of Columbia
- Virginia (inactive)