Barrella Law PLLC, proudly serving businesses and individuals in the District of Columbia and nationwide.

Nigel Barrella is a business and regulatory attorney with a modern, diverse legal practice, with an emphasis on serving food and dietary supplement businesses and other businesses regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With over a decade in practice, he especially enjoys working with young and growing businesses, helping them navigate difficult legal and regulatory issues.

Nigel recently returned to his private practice after a stint as Regulatory Counsel at the Good Food Institute, a leading nonprofit organization devoted to advancing food innovation. In that role and in his law practice, Nigel has taken a significant role working to overcome regulatory barriers to the production and adoption of innovative new foods, particularly plant-based foods and foods made with cellular agriculture. He graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science degree in interdisciplinary neuroscience, and he enjoys putting his technical and scientific background to work for his clients. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School.

Nigel also believes strongly in giving back to the community, including through pro bono work. He served for seven years on the D.C. Criminal Justice Act panel, representing indigent defendants on appeal; successfully represented several veterans who had been denied compensation by the US government for their military-connected injuries; obtained numerous protective orders for survivors of domestic violence; and represented young people seeking asylum in the United States.

Representative Matters

  • Advising businesses on federal regulatory requirements, including producers of novel food and alternative protein products, on issues of labeling, marketing, food safety, and food additives and GRAS submissions.
  • Advising businesses and NGOs on proposed federal food regulations and guidance documents, and drafting comments for clients on agency proposals.
  • Litigated as co-counsel in multiple constitutional challenges to state food labeling laws targeting alternative protein products, resulting in injunctions against state laws.*
  • Litigated several Freedom of Information Act denials and Administrative Procedure Act cases against U.S. federal agencies, as lead and co-counsel.
  • Prepared a significant citizen petition for a nonprofit organization on commonsense food labeling standards for novel food products.
  • Filed a friend-of-the-court brief as lead counsel on behalf of a nonprofit organization in a class action lawsuit alleging that “almond milk” products were misbranded under federal law.
  • Reversed a client’s conviction for marijuana possession on appeal, setting a significant precedent defining the scope of D.C.’s marijuana legalization ballot initiative.

* Matters handled while not at Barrella Law PLLC.

State Bar Admissions

District of Columbia
New York
North Carolina

Federal Court Admissions

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
U.S. Courts of Appeals (Ninth, Tenth)
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

Administrative Agencies

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Federal Trade Commission
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Highlights

Contact

(202) 768-7510

Email