The Legal 500

Within Financial services: regulatory, tier 5

Venable LLP provides regulatory advice to a broad range of players within the financial services industry including commercial banks, savings banks, credit unions, bank holding companies and foreign banks. Driven out of its Washington DC office and including four former banking agency regulators, the firm is particularly accomplished on the enforcement side across the waterfront of matters including under the Fair Housing and Equal Credit Opportunity Acts. In addition to representing several banks in agency enforcement proceedings, the firm has also developed a specialism in advising directors and officers of failed banks in investigations by the FDIC. Spearheaded by William Donovan and working closely with the firm’s standalone legislative and government affairs team, the firm has also handled a significant volume of work for clients seeking to influence public policy. Donovan in particular has worked with Congress in shaping most major pieces of legislation shaping the law relating to consumer financial services over the past 35 years. Ronald Glancz heads the six-partner team whose clients include ING Direct, the Department of the Treasury and USAA Bank.

Within Healthcare and life sciences, Venable LLP is a third tier firm,

Venable LLP represents life sciences manufacturers, healthcare service providers and investors, but a large part of the practice is on the health plan side, where its recent representations include the corporate restructuring of a major East coast health insurer. The firm also acted for a health education institute as issuer in a large bond raising, and advised an investment firm on its acquisition of the assets of a retirement care community operator. Robert Zinkham heads the practice, in which clients recommend Constance Baker, whose ‘expertise in health and medical staff law is encyclopedic’. Both attorneys divide their time between Washington DC and Baltimore. Washington DC-based Ted Ramirez is ‘very thorough, responsive and reliable’, and Baltimore-based Peter Parvis is also recommended.

Within Real estate investment trusts (REITs), Venable LLP is a third tier firm,

Venable LLP is considered ‘the best local Maryland counsel on REIT matters’. With more than 80% of all US publicly traded REITs formed in Maryland, the Baltimore-based practice is perfectly placed to take advantage of this, acting as local counsel on over half of Maryland REITs and frequently being called on as counsel for matters of Maryland corporate law. It has advised on IPO transactions for Hudson Pacific Properties and Chatham Realty, and follow-on offerings for Digital Realty Trust and Equity One. Recent highlights include representing a special committee of the board of directors of a Maryland REIT on its acquisition by a private equity company, and acting as Maryland counsel on the re-incorporation of a Texas REIT to Maryland and its follow-on merger. It combines this transactional capability with expertise in regulatory and non-traded REIT matters. The six-partner team provides ‘knowledgeable, prompt service’, with team head Sharon Kroupa ‘knowing almost all answers to questions without the need for extensive research’. James Hanks is considered by many to be ‘the leading practitioner in Maryland, who brings extraordinary experience to the boardroom and presents his advice in a commercially savvy manner’. Patricia McGowan is ‘good on transactional matters’.

Within Marketing and advertising, Venable LLP is a first tier firm,

Venable LLP’s 34-partner advertising practice in Washington DC, New York and Los Angeles handles regulatory, transactional and litigation work. Lawyers win plaudits for ‘business acumen, industry knowledge and terrific response times’. Practice head Jeffrey Knowles, who ‘attacks matters with a combination of thoughtful strategy, raw aggression and limitless energy’, is recognized for his expertise in direct response advertising and advertising compliance, reviewing television and radio scripts, internet and direct mail advertisements. The group in Washington DC is recognized for its ‘deep domain expertise and an excellent reputation with government policymakers’, and represents nearly every marketing industry association, as well as coalitions lobbying for industry self-regulation of online marketing and seeking to shape the FTC’s revised endorsements and testimonial guidelines. Internet advertising and behavioral marketing are particular focus areas, with clients including Verizon Communications and Google. Stuart Ingis played a key role in DMA’s formulation of an industry self-regulatory program for behavioral marketing on the internet. Litigation head Roger Colaizzi is commended for his ‘ability to handle complex litigation, separate law from business points and find strategic ways to settle disputes’. Contentious work includes IP disputes, Sherman Act claims and litigation involving the FTC and FDA. The group represented chicken producer Perdue Farms in an NAD false advertising challenge brought by the Animal Welfare Institute. Other areas of expertise include over-the-counter drug and dietary supplement advertising and financial services advertising, with Lanham Act litigator Thomas Gilbertsen, who joined from Kelley Drye & Warren LLP representing Bank of America. Also recommended is Melissa Landau Steinman, who advises on sweepstakes in the social media space. Other key clients include Amazon, American Express, Clorox, Guthy-Renker, Kerzner International, Marriott, New Look, NBC Universal, Reed Elsevier, The Sugar Association and Sony Ericsson.

Within Technology: data protection and privacy, Venable LLP is a second tier firm,

Recognized as ‘leading experts in the space’, and commended for providing ‘solid and thorough advice and great value for money’, Venable LLP’s 20-attorney team in Washington DC and Tysons Corner advises on traditional privacy and data security issues as well as emerging issues, notably online targeted and behavioral advertising. Practice head Stuart Ingis, praised for his ‘exceptionally thorough knowledge and experience in the data landscape’, represented Turner Broadcasting Service in a lawsuit regarding the collection and use of data in relation to online behavioral advertising. Emilio Cividanes wins credits for ‘his ability to craft expert legal strategy, which is outdone only by his ability to communicate it effectively to his clients’. Ingis and Cividanes presented the Direct Marketing Association and the Interactive Advertising Bureau in connection with proposed privacy legislation. Supported by the firm’s strong marketing, advertising and technology practices, attorneys advise on issues arising from privacy statutes and regulatory engagements for clients across healthcare, telecoms, technology and financial services, regularly defending companies in FTC enforcement actions, litigating privacy issues and occasionally challenging agency regulations. High-profile clients include Reed Elsevier, Time Warner and Experian.

Within Technology: outsourcing, Venable LLP is a third tier firm,

Venable LLP recruited William Russell and Jim Nelson from DLA Piper LLP. Based in New York, and recommended as ‘clear, direct, thorough and commercially reasonable’, they complement Nora Garrote and A J Zottola in Washington DC, who combine intellectual property and technology expertise. Clients value Nelson’s ‘responsiveness and adept knowledge of intellectual property law’. As well as representing longstanding client GE, recent instructions include representing Verizon in a deal with Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions involving integrated facilities management, project management, energy implementation, lease administration and transactional management services at over 7,000 of Verizon’s US properties. The group has particular strength in the real estate outsourcing space, as well as BPO and ITO outsourcing in the healthcare and energy sectors. Other mandates included assisting Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, a hospitality company spanning six continents, with outsourcing its international central reservation system and related back-office functions.

Within Technology: transactions, Venable LLP is a third tier firm,

Venable LLP recruited William Russell and Jim Nelson from DLA Piper LLP. According to clients, they are ‘good counselors with well-developed legal and business acumen, incredibly responsive and adroitly navigate confusing escalation paths’. Russell is ‘best in class’ for life sciences, representing GE Healthcare in negotiating a strategic alliance for distribution of its home healthcare product line. He also represented CAE, a Canadian provider of simulation and modeling technologies for the aviation industry, in acquiring the rights to cutting edge technologies. Russell and Nelson join the ‘outstanding’ Nora Garrote in Tysons Corner, who represents Care First Blue Cross in licensing and service agreements and IT outsourcing, and ‘has the requisite knowledge of technology issues and works hard to understand the specifics of each situation’. A J Zottola in Washington DC focuses on IP-related e-commerce.

Within M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m), Venable LLP is a third tier firm,

Venable LLP offers ‘flawless execution of its responsibilities and meticulous attention to detail’. Clients particularly appreciate ‘the formula that allows for lean staffing, without having to sacrifice responsiveness and quality of work. This makes the team of great value to us, while the work is practical and pragmatic’. Recent highlights include representing Redwood Capital in its $365m purchase of Erickson Retirement Communities, which owned and managed 20 continuing care retirement communities in various stages of development around the country. The practice also advised Zachry Hastings Infrastructure Partners in its $311m purchase of a 55% stake in a Houston-area liquefied natural gas terminal, operated by Freeport LNG Development, represented Segovia, a company providing mixed satellite and terrestrial networks and services to the US military and government agencies, in its $110m sale to Inmarsat, a UK-based company, and advised Harding Security Associates in its sale to Six3 Systems. In large deals, the firm served as Maryland corporate counsel to the Stanley Works in its $4.5bn acquisition of Black & Decker and has been instructed in sophisticated distressed M&A deals. Baltimore and Washington DC-based Charles Morton co-chairs the business transactions practice, and Thomas Washburne focuses on technology providers in the defense and intelligence community, banks and financial institutions and biotechnology, as well as software companies. Michael Baader is the partner-in-charge of the Baltimore office. Baader’s practice has a focus on representing technology and growth oriented companies. Tysons Corner partner Joseph Schmelter is ‘singled out as one of the best M&A lawyers in the industry. He is practical, efficient, attentive and responsive, and has a fantastic demeanor on both friendly and sometimes caustic deals. Schmelter has a commanding presence in the deal room, but never has to take unnecessarily aggressive tactics to get the respect of everyone in the room. In other words, he wins without ever yelling, which seems to be rare in the M&A world’.

Within Land use/zoning , Venable LLP is a third tier firm,

Venable LLP represents land use clients across Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland, and ‘handles every challenge professionally and promptly’. It represented Vornado/Charles E. Smith (the largest landowner in the Crystal City area of Arlington County) in a number of matters including the master planning of Crystal City, proposing 40 million sq ft of mixed-use development.

Within Domestic tax: East Coast, tier 7

Venable LLP fields a 25-fee-earner tax practice from Baltimore and Washington DC, with a growing presence in New York, and is recommended for mid-tier US domestic, international taxation and tax controversy. Within the generalist practice, Bryson Cook is recommended for tax support to privately held corporations and their owners. In a noteworthy niche Stefan Tucker in Washington DC, and Brian O’Connor in Baltimore, have developed considerable expertise in the REIT sector, a response to Maryland’s benevolent REIT taxation framework.

Within Employee benefits and executive compensation, tier 5

Venable LLP is ‘a top-shelf firm for employee benefits, ERISA compliance, and all related areas’. The group is recommended for all legal issues related to pension and retirement savings plans, health insurance and other employee benefits plans. Barbara Schlaff in Baltimore, and John Wilhelm in Tysons Corner, are ‘proactive and far ahead of the curve on developing areas of the law’ in executive compensation and equity plan matters. Practice clients include General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, PepsiCo and MBNA.