Professional Directory

Jolyda O. Swaim is a member of our Agriculture Group, where her practice focuses on USDA-FSIS regulatory matters relating to meat and poultry production.  Specifically, she assists clients with: issues of meat and poultry product labeling; HACCP and SSOP related matters; quality assurance and  sanitation matters; as well as issues pertaining to the import and export of meat and poultry products.  Ms. Swaim also assists clients with meeting waste discharge requirements related to the Clean Water Act (CWA) and its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), and related pre-treatment permits.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Jolyda had extensive experience in the meat, poultry, and food industries specifically working for Sara Lee Corporation, ConAgra Foods, Inc., and The Campbell Soup Company.  Her work included high-risk bakeries, various prepared or frozen food operations, as well as vegetable manufacturing.  Additionally, she has experience in all matters relating to food production, gained from direct control of departments such as Food Safety, Sanitation, Quality Assurance, Consumer Affairs, and Operations. Before joining our firm, Ms. Swaim served as the Corporate Food Safety Director for Sara Lee Corporation, with oversight of its meat and poultry operations in the United States and Mexico . 

In addition to her food production experience, Ms. Swaim has had direct responsibility for numerous waste treatment systems including: lagoon treatment systems, phosphorus removal systems, and other pretreatment systems. She has had responsibility for all NPDES, Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) compliance and reporting.  While working for The Campbell Soup Company, she was nominated by the local township and selected by the Michigan Water Pollution Control Association to receive the 1992 Michigan Water Pollution Control Association's Outstanding Wastewater Worker of the Year.  

Ms. Swaim was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Union City, Pennsylvania and Albuquerque, New Mexico .  She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania . 

Ms. Swaim received her Juris Doctor cum laude from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 2004.

Areas of Practice:

Agriculture Law

Food Law

Quality Assurance

HACCP matters

Bar Admissions:

District of Columbia , 2004
 
Court Admissions:

U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia

Professional Associations and Memberships:

American Bar Association

District of Columbia Bar Association

International Association of Food Protection  

Education:

Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, Michigan , 2004
Juris Doctor
Honors: Cum Laude

Mercyhurst College , 1977
Bachelor of Science

Published Works:

Food and Drug Law Regulation, Chapter Five, Food:  Meat and Poultry Inspection, The Food and Drug Law Institute, 2008.  Authored with Brett T. Schwemer.  

Food Products Recall Manual, The Food Institute, 2008. Authored with Richard Frank , Robert Hahn, David Durkin, and Elliot Belilos.  

Importing Food into the United States :  A Regulatory Guide, Chapter 3, USDA Regulatory Requirements, The Food Institute, 2007  

Avian Influenza; A Primer on the Science, Regulations and Policies, The Food Institute Press, 2006  

The Food Safety and Inspection Service's Lack of Statutory Authority to Suspend Inspection for Failure to Comply with HACCP Regulations, Journal of Food Law & Policy, University of Arkansas School of Law, Fall 2005.  Authored with Dennis R. Johnson.