Mr. Ricky Cohnrus Benjamin

Burr & Forman

Ricky Benjamin advises companies on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory, compliance, and enforcement issues, as well as clinical trials and FDA-regulated product development programs. He also counsels clients on the safety, labeling, and reporting requirements for consumer products under the laws enforced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), unfair and deceptive trade practices involving the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and related state enforcement agencies. Ricky's clients include pharmaceutical, medical device, biologic, cosmetics and personal care products manufacturers, and clinical laboratories.

Ricky provides comprehensive guidance on navigating the complex web of federal and state laws and regulations, including the federal anti-kickback statute, physician self-referral laws (Stark), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and data privacy and cybersecurity regulations. He represents companies with international and domestic presence before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He assists clients with the development, manufacture, marketing (premarket approval applications, 510(k) clearances), and regulatory compliance, including labeling and recalls of medical devices, drugs, and cosmetics. Ricky also represents manufacturers in supply chain matters related to these regulated products, including supply agreements and software licensing agreements (SaaS, SiMD, SaMD, and loT). Ricky represents clients in all phases of the product life cycle, including formulation and marketing authorizations, post-market compliance, certification, and manufacturing best practices. He also advises on regulatory issues at the intersection of health services innovation, digital health, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Ricky's transactional practice encompasses specialized due diligence of life sciences transactions, including deal structuring, representations and warranties, and compliance with regulatory requirements associated with mergers and acquisitions and in-licensing agreements. He possesses a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in supply chain transactions, capital equipment agreements, and cloud-based agreements, particularly within the life sciences industry.

Ricky's diverse background includes roles as general counsel for dental and surgical practices, in-house regional head of litigation for a global insurance company, lead national trial counsel for opioid litigation, and professor of health care law and ethics at Tulane University. In addition to his law degree, Ricky has a bachelor's degree in computer science and worked as a software programmer before attending law school.

Education

• JD, University of Iowa, College of Law
• BS, Computer Science, Southern University A&M