Meshach Y. Rhoades

• Secured dismissal for health plan in dispute regarding excess and reasonable amounts charged for in-network and out-of-network providers.
• Secured dismissal from a putative class action in the Eastern District of New York for the client, an au pair organization. The plaintiff asserted minimum wage and overtime violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the New York Labor Law, and the wage and hour laws of all other states; and sought to represent a nationwide FLSA collective action and a nationwide state wage-and-hour law class action. After moving to compel arbitration or dismiss, the plaintiff dismissed the client from the lawsuit. 
• Secured dismissal from a class action in the Northern District of California for the client regarding alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and Private Attorneys General Act. 
• Secured significant settlement for U.S.-based agricultural company in complex multi-party product liability and regulatory dispute. Oversaw multiple experts and multi-party counsel team to reach favorable resolution.
• Successfully represented U.S.-based agricultural company in complex international trademark dispute. Oversaw international counsel, case development, and strategy for favorable resolution of claims. 
• Represented animal product manufacturer in investigation of regulatory defects in business acquired by client and litigation for breaches of acquisition agreement. Successfully prosecuted federal court litigation alleging more than $7 million in damages, resulting in highly favorable settlement for client. 
• Secured several releases for employment and tax-related claims against a client. Inaccurate tax advice had led the company’s board of directors to issue options that did not comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. We were able to avoid tax liabilities for the client and option holders without triggering IRS action and obtained release agreements from all option holders.
• Served as regulatory counsel for nationwide chip brand, focusing on compliance with California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act (Proposition 65). Defended both filed and threatened Proposition 65 claims. 
• Won complete dismissal of claims against former government employee in Colorado state district court case challenging public bidding process. 
• Provided counsel to a multinational ice cream company on an ongoing basis with regard to regulatory compliance and product labeling issues. 
• Provided counsel to national grocery store chain on ongoing regulatory and food-related matters, including food safety standards.
• Successfully prosecuted claim for declaratory relief in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado on behalf of business owner regarding a multimillion-dollar loan contract, resulting in favorable settlement for client and resolution of disputed loan terms. 
• Served as nationwide dairy counsel for a global beverage company, specifically focusing on distribution regulations and agreements. On an ongoing basis, Crowell & Moring attorneys regularly support product launches, including product analysis, label review, distribution guidance, and dairy regulation compliance for various product lines including juices, sodas and carbonated beverages, flavored waters, and energy drinks. 
• Served as outside general counsel to a regional food delivery service, handling matters from the company’s inception on an ongoing basis, including trademark and marketing needs. Provided counsel regarding the establishment of a brick-and-mortar restaurant location. 
• Assisted a major dairy brand on an ongoing basis in nationwide promotional and advertising matters, including couponing and associated regulations and requirements. 
• Provided counsel to a manufacturer of animal feed and other health and nutrition products regarding label compliance and regulation domestically and abroad. 
• Handled regulatory compliance and product labeling matters on an ongoing basis for a global beverage company’s bottled mineral water brands. 
• Represented an officer and owner of several marijuana cultivation and dispensary businesses in successfully resolving a wide-ranging business dispute with the co-owners, negotiating favorable buy-out terms for the client’s ownership interests in the companies. 
• Assisted a regional microbrewery client with trademark, marketing, and regulatory issues. 
• Resolved an employee complaint for a client with the Office of the Nevada Labor Commissioner in which an employee alleged violations of multiple crucial state employee statutes. The office closed the file on the complaint in less than 48 hours after receiving our response. 
• Provided counsel to a global beverage company in its launch of a white-label iced coffee product for a multinational quick serve chain. This included ensuring regulatory compliance of its product formula with FDA, USDA, and various state regulatory structures. 
• Hired to support the launch of a flavored, ultra-filtered, lower sugar milk aimed at tweens and young adults. Supported the nationwide launch, which happened in two phases, and provided counsel related to compliance, product distribution, market and research analysis, safety and risk management, labeling, and advertising. 
• Served as lead counsel to a global beverage company in advance of their first-ever endeavor in the dairy market. Less than four months before the nationwide launch of the dairy brand, an administrative agency delivered distressing news indicating that the new brand had violated regulations and faced both civil and criminal charges. After just one month of discussions and negotiations, the department agreed to drop all charges.

Agribusiness and Food

Meshach assists businesses in enforcement actions to ensure compliance with the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, the United States Department of Agriculture and other regulatory bodies. Meshach also has extensive experience with food and drug regulations in the European Union. She has successfully counseled on product safety and recalls, advertising, marketing and consumer protection, such as false advertising litigation and international trade. She counsels clients on sourcing, product distribution, safety and risk management, labeling and general supply chain issues. Meshach serves as lead counsel for a multinational client on dairy regulation compliance in all 50 states and has extensive experience with federal and state dairy, energy drink and beverage regulations in the United States and the EU.

Regulatory Litigation

Meshach represents corporate clients in class action, single-plaintiff, regulatory proceedings and complex regulatory litigation. She is currently class action counsel defending litigation for a financial services entity involving challenges to contract terms compliance, RESPA and TILA. She is also class action counsel defending antitrust claims. She has also defended clients in administrative enforcement proceedings and investigations.

Meshach has significant regulatory experience with administrative agencies and public utility commissions throughout the country. She has represented telecommunications and energy companies before federal and state courts and administrative bodies regarding rates, right-of-way, cable landing licenses, VoIP and cloud computing.

Employment and Labor Litigation

Meshach represents large corporate employers in class action and single-plaintiff litigation involving internal investigations, employee terminations, ADA accommodation, FLSA, discrimination and harassment issues and wage and hour matters. She has tried employment cases in federal and state courts and handled complex arbitrations.