Consumer Products Regulations

Steptoe's global consumer products team assists preeminent US and foreign companies involved in manufacturing, importing, and distributing consumer products. Steptoe lawyers specifically help companies dealing with investigations and proceedings before the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as well as in proceedings before other federal and state consumer agencies.

Steptoe assists clients with:

• Product development, testing, operations, and approval
• Product safety programs and product liability avoidance
• Compliance and recall advice including crisis management, voluntary corrective action plans, and Fast Track recall programs
• Recall implementation
• Government reporting requirements including Section 15 reports
• Enforcement matters under a range of statutes and regulatory programs

The team is closely integrated with Steptoe's products liability and class action practices, which permits us to move directly from the agency arena into court to defend the same products when they are the subject of litigation. Steptoe lawyers monitor litigation, understand the way agencies operate, and work with them, the investigators, and courts to achieve favorable results for our clients. Our many appearances in front of the Commission staff allow us to anticipate the issues that arise with frequency during a CPSC investigation, and we can assist companies through a triage response to work through the process effectively and efficiently.