Stanley H. Abramson

Practice Areas

Stan Abramson is a partner in the Arent Fox Washington, DC office, where he co-chairs the life sciences group. Stan’s practice is focused on biotechnology, food safety, pesticide law, and environmental law, with emphasis on product counseling and regulation. He represents clients in federal and state enforcement proceedings, defends challenges to pesticides and other chemical and biological products, develops corporate compliance and product stewardship programs, and conducts environmental audits and due diligence reviews.

Client Work

Stan has more than 30 years experience in risk based programs and environmental law, including over five years as an environmental and pesticide attorney with the US Environmental Protection Agency, where he served as associate general counsel for Pesticides and Toxic Substances and was a principal drafter of the federal government’s Coordinated Framework for Regulation of Biotechnology.

Stan works extensively with risk assessment and risk management issues and has served on interdisciplinary teams that have represented manufacturers in proceedings before regulatory agencies and the courts on issues related to pesticide law, food and drug law, and pharmaceutical products. He assists clients in obtaining regulatory approvals for agricultural, industrial and consumer products, including products improved through modern biotechnology. He deals with a wide variety of product related matters including advertising and labeling, testing and reporting, product liability disputes, export/import clearances, data use and compensation disputes, right-to-know programs, and trade secret protection.

Professional Activities

Stan served as a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Genetically Modified Pest-Protected Plants and is an associate member of the National Society of Professional Engineers. He also chaired the American Bar Association Committee on Chemical Regulation, Pesticides and Right-To-Know.

Publications, Presentations and Recognitions

Stan has been selected by his peers to be included in the upcoming 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialty of Environmental Law.

As one of Washington DC’s leading food and drug, biotechnology and pesticide attorneys, Stan is a thought leader on life sciences legal issues and has authored numerous articles on biotechnology, food safety, pesticide law and environmental law. He coauthored the Biosafety Sourcebook and is an editor of the Environmental Law Institute’s Law of Environmental Protection. He is a guest lecturer at American University’s Washington College of Law and has also held several recent speaking engagements including, “Traceability and Labeling of Genetically Modified Organisms: European Rules and Consequences,” on October 2, 2004 for the American Agricultural Law Association and “Environmental Auditing: Where We Are Today,” at the Bureau of National Affairs Audio Conference on November 10, 2004.

Bar and Court Admissions

District of Columbia Bar
New Jersey Bar
Supreme Court of the United States

Education

University of Southern California, MPA, 1986
Rutgers University, JD, 1973
Drexel University, BS, 1969

Life Beyond the Law

Stan is an avid golfer and hopes to learn how to play the game sometime soon. Stan and his wife moved to the Washington area in 1973. They are both dog lovers and like to get away to the beach whenever they can.