This past year over half-a-dozen of our new dietary supplement or sports nutrition clients previously had other attorneys handling their legal and regulatory needs. Why did they make the switch to the Supplement Counsel™ at Collins Gann McCloskey & Barry (“CGMB”)? Below are the top five reasons why clients choose CGMB to handle the legal needs of their dietary supplement and sport nutrition companies.

1. Your Attorney Doesn’t Know the Industry
The dietary supplement and sport nutrition industry grows larger every year. New companies are formed on a daily basis and each company is fighting to obtain a greater share of the market. Ensuring that your products are compliant under the FDA and FTC regulations is vital. Making sure that your website, labels, and marketing materials do not invite lawsuits or regulatory scrutiny is critical. Having strong contracts in place to protect your business dealings is fundamental. Conducting proper trademark searches to prevent infringement is paramount. Many attorneys who represent dietary supplement and sport nutrition companies are able to provide these services. However, most of these attorneys do not have a deep understanding or knowledge of the industry. That’s where we come in. This year alone, two of our clients left their prior legal counsel because the attorneys “just don’t understand the industry.” These attorneys often offer advice that is neither practical nor realistic for companies in our industry to use. At CGMB, we not only know the law, we know this industry.

2. Your Attorney is Not a Good Negotiator
Disputes are inevitable in business – breach of contract, lawsuits, trademark infringement and class action complaints are especially common occurrences in the dietary supplement and sport nutrition industry. The bigger your company grows, the more people want to “dip into your pockets.” Litigation is expensive, time consuming and often unpredictable. That’s why most of these matters are settled prior to a lawsuit actually being filed in court. Although we refer to local litigation counsel as needed, we are adept at negotiating favorable settlements on behalf of our clients. Some of our clients have used “Big Law” firms to handle these matters when they arise. However, these law firms may charge astronomical rates and the results may not be spectacular. While every case is different, and no attorney can guarantee a specific outcome, in the past year we have been able to settle more than 6 of these types of cases on behalf of our clients in extremely favorable ways. If your attorney does not have strong negotiation skills, maybe it’s time to let CGMB handle the next legal matter that needs negotiating. Let our “Legal Muscle™” do the heavy lifting.

3. Your Attorney isn’t Responsive
You’re scheduled to send your supplement labels to the printer tomorrow, but you forgot to have them reviewed for compliance. You call your attorney and the receptionist answers the phone. The attorney is “in a meeting and will call you back as soon as he is finished.” The clock is ticking; you need to get these labels to the printer. Hours pass and you still have not received a call from your attorney. You decide to send the labels to the printer without having them reviewed because you need to meet a deadline. The attorney returns your call a few days later, but it is too late. Sound familiar? At CGMB, we understand that deadlines must be met and sometimes things come up at the last minute. We pride ourselves on answering every phone call and getting things done promptly. If you feel like you’re getting lost in the shuffle, try switching to a law firm that strives to make every single client the most important client. If something needs to be done quickly and efficiently, we make sure we do our very best to make it happen!

4. Your Attorney is too Expensive
“We can’t afford to hire an attorney.” If we had a nickel for every time we heard a client say this, well, we’d probably have 1,000 nickels. Sure, some legal issues are more complex than others and that takes more than a quick e-mail or phone call. However, at CGMB we always keep our clients’ budget in mind. As our long-time partner Alan Feldstein says, “We don’t want to be your biggest expense.” This couldn’t be truer. At CGMB, our goal isn’t to “rack up” billable hours; our goal is to build long-term, trusting relationships with all of our clients. Unlike some other law firms, if two of our attorneys are on the phone with you discussing a project or question, we will never double-bill you. We are also extremely flexible in the type of billing we offer depending on our clients’ needs. If you require assurance as to what a certain project will cost, we are always willing to discuss a flat fee option. If you ask us not to exceed a certain amount of time for a particular project, we will be mindful of your request while not sacrificing quality. If your legal costs are crushing your profits, give us a call to see how we can not only provide a superior level of quality, but we can do so in a cost-effective manner.

5. Your Attorney Doesn’t Even Lift, Bro
Okay, LOL, we’re only half joking here. Your company sells dietary supplements and sports nutrition products to help its consumers look better, get stronger, gain more muscle and feel healthier. Often times the presidents, CEOs, employees and definitely the sponsored athletes are muscular, athletic and in shape. These are the faces of your brand, and as such they should look the part. With that said, how do you feel about an attorney who gorges on pizza, chips, and cookies all day – “Put da Cookie Down” (Ahnuld S.’s voice). Your attorney doesn’t even lift, bro? That’s not us. You put in the work every day and then you crush the weights after. Why not have a legal team that walks the walk, too?

The best time to ensure compliance with the law is up-front, before there’s a problem! Feel free to call us at (516) 294-0300