20 May CONSUMER PRODUCTS EXPERT WITNESS CONSULTANTS: CPG TESTIMONY
Hiring a consumer products expert witness consultant and CPG packaged goods leader is often a wise investment for law firms. Legal disputes frequently hinge on highly technical issues surrounding product design, manufacturing processes, regulatory compliance and more. To properly educate judges and juries, consumer products expert witness step in to talk about these matters. Analysis and opinions from veteran pros is often helpful in framing up case facts and issues and putting them in perspective.
Leaders are generally professionals who have spent decades working in the CPG industry across roles in product development, engineering, supply chain, marketing and quality assurance, among other areas. A consumer products expert witness brings real-world experiences to the table that allow them to offer authoritative perspectives. Thinking about avenues of research helps frame the work they perform.
- Product Defects and Liability Claims – When CPG items allegedly malfunction, contain impurities or cause injuries, product liability lawsuits follow. Advisors investigate to determine if design flaws, manufacturing mistakes or inadequate safety testing is to blame.
- Intellectual Property Disputes – As CPG brands relentlessly innovate with new product formulations and packaging, they zealously guard intellectual property like patents and trade secrets. A consumer products expert witness evaluates IP infringement claims.
- Regulatory Compliance – The field is governed by a myriad of regulations related to product labeling, ingredient listings, health claims and more. Partners assess if products and marketing efforts adhere to these rules.
- Supply Chain and Logistics Analysis – Lawsuits may emerge from supply chain disruptions, distribution errors or compromised product integrity during shipping and delivery. Top consumer products expert witnesses conduct root cause analyses of these issues.
- Market Sizing and Damages Calculations – In lawsuits involving lost profits, stolen trade secrets or antitrust violations, CPG experts estimate reasonable royalty rates, market valuations and other financial damages.
- Advertising Substantiation
– To protect consumers, there are strict guidelines around permissible product marketing claims and substantiation requirements. Hiring consumer products expert witness validates or debunks product advertisements. - Manufacturing Practices
– From Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to sanitation protocols, CPG consultants evaluate whether proper procedures were followed across all stages of production.
Per the best consumer products expert witness firms, CPG cases are often highly technical and document-intensive. The ability of leaders in the space to simplify issues and offer credible, experiential opinions is why they are such valued litigation resources.