Joanna Pearce
Joanna Pearce is an associate in the Food, Beverage and Restaurant Practice Group of Haynes Boone, LLP. Her practice involves assisting clients with transactional, corporate, and regulatory matters related to the food, drug, dietary supplement, consumer packaged goods (CPG), cannabis, personal care products, and life sciences industries. She is also experienced in guiding clients through M&A deals and complex commercial transactions and regularly assists clients with navigating the intersection of complicated regulatory issues and broader business concerns. Her representative experience at Haynes Boone has included drafting and negotiating complex agreements; guiding clients on how to market, advertise, label, and position their products; assisting CPG and other clients with structuring supply chain, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics relationships; assessing and advising on creative solutions to address legal risks; helping clients bring their products to market; assisting with product recalls and other corrective actions; and assisting clients operating in highly-regulated industries with complex regulatory compliance issues. She is also honored to serve as a co-chair of Haynes Boone's LGBTQ+ Inclusion Network.
Before going to law school, Joanna obtained a B.S. in Animal Science from Texas A&M University - Commerce and spent nearly a decade working in animal healthcare. Her background in life sciences and agriculture informs her practice, enables her to tackle problems analytically and creatively, and allows her to assist clients with a broad spectrum of considerations related to operating in regulated industries. She enjoys having the opportunity to assist clients with a wide selection of matters ranging from large-scale business transactions to discrete issues that affect daily operations. Joanna also enjoys working with clients looking to innovate in emerging growth industries, like the cannabis industry, and she is proud to be part of Haynes Boone’s CBD and Hemp Industry Group.
- Advised major retailers on the development of product labels and advertising to ensure regulatory compliance and mitigate risk
- Represented a major retailer in the drafting and negotiation of complex supply chain agreements related to regulated products, including foods and CBD products
- Represented multiple brands in carrying out recalls and withdrawals of FDA- and USDA-regulated food products
- Represented multiple food companies in the sale of their assets or equity, including an egg producer, fruit farm, and spice and flavoring manufacturer
- Represented an advertising company in its acquisition of a digital marketing and design company
- Represented a restaurant group in the sale of the company following a bankruptcy filing
- Co-Chair of the Haynes Boone LGBTQ+ Inclusion Network
- Member of the Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) Food Advertising, Labeling, and Litigation Conference Planning Committee (2022 and 2023)
- “Takeaways From FDA's Allergen Compliance Draft Guide,” co-author, Law360, May 24, 2023
- “Supply Chain Disruptions: FDA Guidance and Temporary Policies,” co-author, Regulatory Focus (July 2022)
- “FDA Guidance in Response to COVID-19 and a Plan for Transition Back to Normal,” co-author, Food and Drug Law Institute’s Update Magazine, Spring 2022.
- “Navigating the Hazy Future of FDA’s CBD Regulation,” author, Marijuana Venture (February 2022)
- “The Delta-8 THC Minefield and Counterfeit Concerns,” co-author, DBA Headnotes (January 2022)
- "Sourcing Cannabis Lawfully for CBD Consumer Products and Clinical Research: Challenges and Opportunities," co-author, Food and Drug Law Institute's Update Magazine, Spring 2021.
- “Preparing to Avoid Surprises: Post-Acquisition Integration in Food Company M&A,” co-author, Food & Drink International (2019)
Education
J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 2018, magna cum laude; Order of the Coif; Associate Managing Editor, SMU Law Review
B.S., Texas A&M University Commerce, 2012, magna cum laude
Admissions
Texas
From the outset of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) engaged in policymaking at a blistering speed compared to its historically measured pace. Robert Califf, who previously led the agency under Obama, was recently confirmed as FDA commissioner, and Califf’s approach to agency guidance will be closely monitored by many stakeholders. With two COVID-19 [...]
Trigg and Pearce in Law360: ‘Takeaways from FDA's Allergen Compliance Draft Guide’
May 26, 2023