Las Vegas, NV  – Robert Ullman, a seasoned litigator with over 40 years experience practicing law in the dietary supplements industry, has today been awarded the President’s Award from the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) in recognition of his contributions on behalf of the natural products industry.

The NNFA President’s Award, formerly known as the Lifetime Achievement Award, is given annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to the natural products industry over a decade or more. 

Mr. Ullman was chosen as much for his day-to-day defense of industry interests as well as for his involvement in pivotal vitamin hearings before Congress and related NNFA lawsuits against FDA in the 1970’s. These included the legendary Vitamins A and D case, in which the FDA attempted to categorize high dose vitamins as drugs, as well as other precedent setting cases that have helped protect consumer access to dietary supplements. In the mid 1990’s Mr. Ullman handled the landmark FTC case defending calcium’s bone building properties on behalf of Metagenics. He was lead counsel in the Black Current oil cases which effectively ended FDA's attempt to regulate dietary supplements as food additives and which were cited by Senator Hatch as one of the justifications for his introduction of DSHEA. Mr. Ullman has also tried a number of important FTC advertising cases involving dietary supplements and direct marketing. 
 
Mr. Ullman, who was born in Frankfurt Germany on December 26, 1933, graduated from New York University, B.S., magna cum laude, in 1955. He was a member of The Law Review at New York University School of Law, from which he graduated with honors in 1961. Upon graduation he joined the firm of Bass and Friend, which evolved into Bass and Ullman in 1969. Thirty years later when Bass and Ullman dissolved, Mr. Ullman formed Ullman, Shapiro & Ullman, LLP with his son Marc Ullman and colleague Steve Shapiro.
 
Tony Young, General Counsel of the American Herbal Products Association, said  “Bob Ullman’s reputation for tenacity is legendary.  He has gotten great results: he even got the FTC to agree to use one client's settlement for cancer research. And he won't hesitate to tell you about his successful defense of calcium. Bob grew up in the dietary supplement industry, he stuck with it and he has accomplished plenty for it.  His achievement's have truly been lifetime.”  
"I grew up watching my father fight for the supplements industry with a passion that didn’t accept failure or defeat," said son and partner Marc Ullman. “He has literally dedicated his life to defending this industry, and inspired us all by the passion he brings to defending his clients.”

Mr. Ullman represents major manufacturers and marketers of vitamins, herbs, food supplements, and health foods.  He provides counseling on legal compliance and representation before federal courts throughout the country and regulatory agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission, the Food & Drug Administration, and state Attorneys General. Ullman, Shapiro & Ullman, LLP is located in New York City.