Kelsey Tavares

Associate
About

Kelsey Tavares is a litigation associate in the Product Liability, Mass Torts & Class Actions group. She has significant experience with dispositive motion practice, fact and expert witness development, bellwether analysis and selection, coordination of discovery requests and responses, depositions, and trial preparation.

Kelsey also advises clients on risk management and regulatory compliance, including compliance with federal, state, and local agency regulations and guidance promulgated by the FDA, FTC, TTB, and CPSC.

In addition to her litigation and regulatory practice, Kelsey is actively involved in pro bono. She has represented Special Immigrant Juvenile Status clients pursuing U.S. citizenship, individuals facing homelessness due to their unsafe living conditions, and a class of individuals challenging deficiencies in the  administration of SNAP Act entitlements.

Bar admissionsMassachusetts
CourtsUnited States District Court for the District of MassachusettsUnited States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

EXPERIENCE

Products Liability and Mass Tort Actions

  • Defended medical device companies in multi-district and mass tort coordinated actions involving allegedly defective implantable products;
  • Represented multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in connection with individual product liability actions initiated after a voluntary recall of a combination pharmaceutical and medical device product;
  • Defended a multinational healthcare and industrial conglomerate in lawsuits alleging their actions contributed to PFAS groundwater contamination;
  • Defended a multinational medical device company in a product liability action filed in the District of Massachusetts which sought to require the company to make certain label changes;
  • Monitored incidence of litigation involving ethylene oxide and advised on risk of liability to company on an ongoing basis; and
  • Advised leading wireless network operator on product liability risks associated with new ventures involving emerging technologies.

Regulatory Representation

  • Conducted legal review of promotional activities, including labeling and marketing claims for various life sciences, food, beverage, cosmetic, alcohol, and consumer products companies (including FDA, TTB, FTC, USDA, CPSC, and state and local agencies);
  • Advised companies on product recall management, Warning Letter and 483 responses, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance;
  • Counseled clients on risks associated with implementation of innovative business strategies;
  • Advised clients on agreements involving contract manufacturers and raw material suppliers (cGMP/ISO);
  • Coordinated regulatory advice from counsel in Canada, Europe, Asia, and Latin America for clients with regulated products in multiple ex-U.S. jurisdictions;
  • Counseled companies on state and federal permit and registration issues (FDA, USDA, TTB, CPSC, and state and local agencies); and
  • Conducted regulatory due diligence on behalf of clients in corporate transactions involving regulated products.

Class Actions and Complex Commercial Disputes

  • Represented multinational companies in connection with class action suits involving deceptive product labeling and advertising claims;
  • Defended a multinational consumer technology company specialized in consumer electronics, software and online services in connection with consumer class actions;
  • Represented a performing arts center facing claims of discrimination based on imposition of face mask mandate during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
  • Represented pro bono clients bringing a class action lawsuit challenging deficiencies in administration of SNAP Act entitlements.
Education
  • J.D., Harvard Law School
  • B.A., University of North Carolina at Asheville

Awards

  • Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Excellence in the Law Award, Up-and-Coming Lawyer Honoree (2024)

Bylines

Seminars

  • Presenter, "Am I Regulated? FDA Regulation and What It Means for Your Business," Start Small Think Big, May 2023
  • Presenter, "ESG Supply Chain Implications," Corporate Counsel Section of New York State Bar, November 2022

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Pathfinder (2024)
  • Food and Drug Law Institute, Committee Member (2023 & 2024)
  • DRI Young Lawyers Steering Committee, Committee Member (2023 & 2024)
  • Boston Bar Association’s Public Interest Leadership Program, Fellow (2023)

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