Ellen Smith Email & Phone Number

Greater Chicago Area, IL, US

• Lead global Corporate Governance, Compliance and Security teams, ensuring strong governance, intelligent risk management and a robust culture of compliance across a $26 billion global snacking public company. Report.
• Design and execute company’s first virtual Annual Shareholder Meeting during early days of COVID-19 pandemic.
• Deliver 92.4% investor vote on executive compensation, following two years of low investor support for Say-On-Pay.
• Partner with Internal Audit to redesign annual enterprise risk management review and analysis.
• Develop comprehensive global data privacy legal service delivery model to support unlock of digital transformation.

Greater Chicago Area, IL, US

• Led large multicultural commercial legal team supporting daily operations of 13 business units around the world, combining front-line business support and specialized cross-border centers of excellence. Led global M&A.
• Partner with Strategy to provide hands-on legal support and thought leadership for strategic transactions around the world.
• Develop and execute company strategy for shareholder engagement on executive compensation issues.

Greater Chicago Area, IL, US

• Region general counsel for $7 billion business unit created in the 2012 spin-off of Kraft Foods. Led North America legal team responsible for handling advertising, marketing, manufacturing, regulatory, antitrust.
• Led in-house legal team handling the $500 million Tate’s Bakeshop acquisition, clearing FTC and NY State Tax regulatory hurdles on an accelerated timeline.
• Provided front-line legal crisis leadership during global malware incident, delivering on-the-spot decisions that helped the company continue business operations during the critical window immediately following the.
• Developed North America outside counsel strategy, launched competitive law firm bidding process, reduced outside counsel spending.
• Recruited and designed 17-member US & Canada legal team from the ground up after Kraft spin-off.

Chicago, US

• Chief legal counsel to $6 billion US Snacks Business Unit. Partnered with senior leaders in the multi-year transformation of the former Nabisco, Inc. into Mondelēz International, leading through divestitures and.
• Partnered with business to co-lead the creation of stand-alone Mondelēz North America region, decoupling contracts from Kraft Foods, ensuring smooth cross-border shipments, and providing post-split hyper-care.
• Co-led negotiations of Post Cereals merger with Ralcorp Holdings ($2.6 billion) and creation of Back to Nature JV.
• Partnered with R&D and Marketing to develop legal claims substantiation strategy for the successful launch belVita Breakfast Biscuits, creating a new US breakfast product category.
• Developed IP strategy to enable the launch the Nabisco whole grain biscuit platform

Chicago, US

• Lead counsel for Kraft Foods Confections, Salted Snacks and Cereals businesses. Counseled Marketing on advertising, labeling, website, social media and promotional materials to ensure compliance with FDA, NLEA, FTC and.
• Negotiated the asset sale of the Milk-Bone dog biscuits ($580 million), and the transition services and multimillion dollar manufacturing supply agreements in connection with the sale of the Kraft Confections Division.
• Successfully created and launched global choking hazard warning program to advance company product safety initiatives.

Blackfriars, London, GB

• Provided marketing and regulatory legal guidance for cosmetic, food, OTC drug and household products. Negotiated marketing and clinical research agreements; reviewed research proposals and developed IRB materials.
• Developed bilingual cosmetic packaging for US and Canada sale to advance portfolio simplification.
• Developed legal claim substantiation for the award-winning launch of Dove skin care products.
• Successfully defended multiple Dove skincare advertising challenges in the National Advertising Division (NAD).

Blackfriars, London, GB

• Responsible for reviewing advertising, labeling and marketing materials for compliance with food, drug and household product regulations; developed advertising claims support; handled network television advertising.
• Implemented OTC Drug Facts labeling for six product categories in ensure compliance with new FDA regulations.
• Successfully defended competitor advertising challenge of Five Brothers pasta sauce before the National Advertising Division (NAD).

New York, NY, US

Represented clients in commercial, copyright, patent, employment, real estate and antitrust litigation; managed cases; argued motions; deposed witnesses; handled trial preparation.

Global, US

Represented clients in insurance and trademark litigation, securities class actions, and white collar criminal defense; developed trial testimony; defended clients in DOJ investigations; argued appeal in New York Supreme Court Appellate Division; conducted expert toxicology deposition; negotiated settlements.

Minneapolis, MN, US

Represented clients in franchise, distributorship, trade secret, deceptive trade practices and antitrust litigation; conducted discovery; drafted pleadings and briefs.

US

Edited stories; designed pages; covered city government, courts and law enforcement; wrote prize winning stories about juvenile crime

J.D., Cum Laude

B.A, Journalism, Magna Cum Laude