U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission General Counsel to Join Crowell & Moring

Cheryl Falvey Bolsters Regulatory and Litigation Preeminence

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce that Cheryl A. Falvey, general counsel of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), will join the firm as a partner in the Torts Group and Product Risk Management practice in Washington, D.C., as of October 1, 2012. As general counsel of the CPSC, Falvey advised the Commission at a critical time in its 40-year history, during the implementation and passage of the landmark Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the congressionally mandated creation of the consumer complaint database, and more vigorous enforcement at the ports. During her tenure, the Commission's regulatory and enforcement activities focused particularly on toxic substances in children's products, performance standards for durable infant products, testing and certification requirements for regulated products, and emissions from Chinese drywall. Prior to joining the CPSC, Falvey had over 20 years of private practice experience as a partner with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in Washington, D.C., where she headed the firm's D.C. litigation practice.

Clifford J. Zatz, partner and chair of the firm's Torts Group remarked, "As both the CPSC general counsel and an accomplished toxic tort and environmental litigator, Cheri brings a distinct set of skills and perspective to our group. She shares our vision of cradle-to-courtroom client service in the product regulation and mass tort arenas. Her tenure at the CPSC has been one of the most significant for any general counsel at that agency as she advised the agency on sweeping changes to their statutes that had an impact across diverse industry sectors. We have tremendous respect for Cheri, whom I have known for two decades, and we enthusiastically look forward to her arrival."

"Cheri is highly regarded among general counsel of some of the world's leading consumer products companies and has earned a well-deserved reputation for fair-mindedness and sound judgment at a time when industry faces significant and ever-changing legal challenges in the product safety arena," added Bridget E. Calhoun, co-chair of Crowell & Moring's Product Risk Management practice. "Cheri will bolster our regulatory and litigation preeminence in the consumer products safety arena, as she is known for not only her litigation skills in the courtroom but also her mastery of medical and scientific issues."

Falvey has served as general counsel of the CPSC since March 2008. During her tenure, she was responsible for advising the Commission and its staff on issues of law and policy in connection with the Acts it administers, including the CPSIA, the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, and the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. She also oversaw all federal court litigation brought by the Commission, including civil and criminal cases referred by the CPSC to the Department of Justice.

"I've known and respected the work of Crowell & Moring and its attorneys for many years," said Falvey. "They have a unique cross-disciplinary focus, impressive portfolio of clients, and a robust Product Risk Management practice. I am proud to join such a dynamic group and look forward to applying the insight I have gained while at the CPSC to help clients successfully navigate product safety challenges with rapid response, protect their brand and reputation from unwarranted complaints, build safety into their products with science-based risk assessment, and meet all applicable legal requirements."

While in private practice, Falvey had a primary focus on the defense of consumer class action, toxic tort, mass tort, and other tort claims arising out of consumer, occupational and environmental exposures, as well as trade secret, intellectual property, and other technology litigation related to consumer products. Falvey is a sought-after presenter who has made scores of public appearances in her role as general counsel. She received her B.A. from Wellesley College and her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with approximately 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Anchorage, London, and Brussels. Visit Crowell & Moring online at http://www.crowell.com.

Contact:
Kathy O'Brien
(203) 268-1315
[email protected]

SOURCE Crowell & Moring LLP