Brian P. Sylvester joins Perkins Coie as partner in D.C. office to bolster FDA and USDA practice

Perkins Coie has announce that Brian P. Sylvester, a valued member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Protein Production Technology International, has joined the firm’s Chambers-ranked food and beverage regulatory and litigation practices as a partner in the Washington D.C. office.  

Sylvester is held in high regard by clients for the depth of his regulatory expertise, particularly in relation to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversight. He advises companies from farm to table, through every step of the food production and distribution cycle. Sylvester is a trusted advisor to numerous food-tech startups, food industry trade associations, life science companies, and global brands, and a leading authority on food-tech regulatory matters, ranging from cellular agriculture and molecular farming to precision fermentation, among other technologies.

“Sophisticated clients in the food and beverage industry frequently seek our counsel and guidance on FDA and USDA regulatory matters, and Brian’s deep knowledge of this process will be very beneficial for our clients,” said David Biderman, the firmwide chair of Perkins Coie’s Consumer Products & Services Litigation practice. “Brian’s strong experience and understanding of the ever-evolving FDA and USDA compliance landscape will also greatly benefit our entrepreneurial clients who are developing novel innovations for the food and beverage market.”

Sylvester also guides clients in developing effective legal strategies for commercializing a broad range of new products, conducting due diligence for corporate transactions, and on highly scrutinized food and beverage labeling and advertising. He is also a leader in representing food-tech startups in developing a range of new products, such as cultivated meat, bioengineered foods and precision-fermentation derived foods. Earlier in his career, Sylvester served as an attorney advisor with USDA.

“I’m thrilled to join Perkins Coie and for the opportunity afforded by the firm’s highly regarded international platform to extend my counsel to leading brands and cutting-edge food and beverage companies, in particular,” said Sylvester. “Perkins Coie’s stellar reputation in the US food and beverage industry, combined with its strong litigation, corporate, and IP practices, presents an excellent fit for my rapidly expanding practice. I’m looking forward to growing my practice, and to collaborating with my new colleagues to guide industry-leading startups and Fortune 100 companies alike to achieve their business goals.”

Sylvester joins Perkins Coie from Covington & Burling LLP. He earned his J.D. from Cornell Law School and his B.A. from Dartmouth College. Sylvester is active in the legal community and is an alum of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellows Program.