John's practice focuses on advertising and unfair competition issues, including counseling and litigation of false advertising cases; counseling with regard to regulatory issues surrounding promotions such as sweepstakes, contests, and other sales incentives; and related intellectual property matters. He has extensive experience before the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, ("NAD") and has advised clients on regulatory investigations before the FTC and state attorneys general.
John has handled dozens of advertising cases involving products and services as diverse as dietary supplements, batteries, dog biscuits, gasoline additives, and retail store services. He has particularly focused on the role of self-regulation, and represents clients before the NAD and the Children's Advertising Review Unit ("CARU") regularly. An active member of the CARU Supporters advisory committee, John has done extensive work in the area of children's advertising, advising clients on regulatory initiatives, food and obesity issues, video games, violence in media, and privacy.
A former two-term member of the Board of Directors of the Promotion Marketing Association, and an active participant in the PMA's Governmental and Legal Affairs Committee, John devotes a substantial portion of his practice to providing advice to advertisers on regulatory issues, including environmental claims, behavioral marketing, privacy, sweepstakes, rebates, coupons, and advertising substantiation. Taking advantage of Reed Smith's international platform, John's practice encompasses an extensive knowledge of international laws as they relate to advertising and promotion, and he provides turn-key legal clearance on difficult and complex international survey projects.
John has also written and spoken nationally on topics related to promotion marketing, especially sweepstakes and contests. He has been quoted in several publications such as, Brandweek, New York Post and Washington Lawyer. He is also a frequent blogger on AdlawByRequest.com and LegalBytes.com, the firm’s two advertising and marketing law blogs.
