LOS ANGELES — Michael T. Roberts has joined the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law as the founding director of the Resnick Program for Food Law and Policy.

Before joining the law school, Mr. Roberts was executive director of the Center for Food Law and Policy and special counsel at Roll Law Group P.C., part of Roll Global. Before that he was a research professor of law and director of the National Agricultural Law Center at the University of Arkansas School of Law, where he established the law school’s Journal of Food Law and Policy. Earlier he was an attorney with the Washington office of Venable L.L.P. and was a member of the firm’s food and agricultural law practice group. He was a visiting scholar with and consultant to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome.

Established this year by a $4 million gift from the Resnick Family Foundation, the program is “dedicated to studying and advancing law and policy solutions to improve the modern food system, including addressing questions of food safety, distribution and access,” according to U.C.L.A. Lynda and Stewart Resnick, through Roll Global, own the POM Wonderful and the Fiji water brands.

“We are pleased to welcome Michael Roberts to U.C.L.A. School of Law,” Dean Rachel F. Moran said. “His background in food law and policy blends academic activity, private practice, and government service, which makes him an ideal choice to serve as founding executive director of the Resnick Program for Food Law and Policy.”

Mr. Roberts is currently writing a treatise on food law, which will be the first major treatise of its kind. He holds a master of laws degree in agricultural law from the University of Arkansas School of Law. He holds juris doctorate and bachelor of science degrees from the University of Utah. Before assuming his new post, he was an adjunct professor at the U.C.L.A. Law School.

“I am thrilled to join U.C.L.A. School of Law,” he said. “I look forward to launching this new program, which will help reform food law and policy for the benefit of the consumer.”