Venable LLP > New York, United States > Firm Profile

Venable LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m) Tier 1

Hailed as ‘the absolute best in class for Maryland law‘, Venable LLP is instructed on M&A transactions by a national client base of both public and privately held companies. Charles Morton routinely appears on both buy- and sell-side transactions, boasting particular expertise of the consumer products, healthcare and technology sectors; he co-leads the practice alongside Bryan Rakes , an M&A, joint venture and financing transaction specialist, as well as Patricia McGowan  who frequently advises REITs, financial institutions and healthcare entities on local corporate law.

Tax > Not-for-profit (nonprofit and tax exempt organizations) Tier 1

At Venable LLP, the non-profit practice has strength in complex taxation issues and corporate governance work. Led out of Washington DC, the team is led by experienced practitioner Cynthia Lewin who advises on compliance whilst co-chair George E Constantine  is the main contact for trade associations, advocacy groups and public charities on the full gamut of matters, including lobbying and political activity. Ronald Jacobs is recommended for litigation and congressional investigations, having also founded the firm’s political law practice. Eric Berman handles enforcement actions by federal regulators. Key contacts in Baltimore include Robert L Waldman who advises on international philanthropy and Yosef Ziffer  who is the name for tax audits and succession planning. In New York, Lindsay Nathan is the contact for political groups on organizational issues and campaign finance.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices Tier 2

The healthcare and life sciences sector is the centerpiece of Venable LLP‘s accomplished national product liability offering and sees the firm regularly engaged as national counsel overseeing the litigation strategy for many high-profile clients including Merck. The Baltimore-based team also has niche expertise defending vaccine manufacturers in litigation brought by plaintiffs following adverse reactions and side effects. Kathleen Hardway regularly serves on nationwide trial teams in complex pharmaceutical disputes and is particularly adept at working with expert witnesses. As part of his broad trial practice, Craig Thompson is regularly engaged in pharmaceutical product liability litigation, including his current role as co-national counsel to Takeda in litigation related to its proton-pump inhibitor medications. During his career, Bruce Parker has been lead trial counsel in four mass torts and as well as his advocacy skills, he is also recognized for his ‘fantastic expertise in epidemiology and science’.  Jason Rose co-chairs the group alongside Hardway.    

Media, technology and telecoms > Advertising and marketing: litigation Tier 2

Venable LLP has a strong advertising litigation practice especially active in the food and dietary supplements sectors, while retail, pharma and digital marketing are equally strong areas. The team encompasses attorneys with cross-departmental expertise, especially in IP and privacy, which contributes toward a broader advertising practice. Regulation, false advertising class actions and Lanham Act cases as well as FTA and FDA disputes and investigations are among the firm's key specialisms. Based in Washington DC, practice head Roger A Colaizzi, ‘combines extraordinary litigation skills, knowledge of the advertising and marketing skills, and a personal commitment to exceptional service.’ In San Francisco, Angel Garganta co-leads the class action defense group; Los Angeles-based Daniel Silverman also stands out for his track record litigating commercial and IP matters and consumer class actions.

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 2

Based in Washington DC, Venable LLP distinguishes itself through its engagement in government and regulatory issues, and in particular policy and investigations. Stuart P Ingis co-heads the department and as privacy counsel is especially appreciated by trade associations and coalitions. He is also singled out for being ‘extremely knowledgeable of different industries and the regulatory landscape’. The team is also led by Emilio Cividanes, who has longstanding experience as a privacy lawyer. Reed Freeman Jr is an authority in privacy matters in relation to mobile devices, social media, and connected devices. Julia Kernochan Tama 'is very knowledgeable and always able to provide accurate advice', while Michael Signorelli is ‘fantastic on a whole host of privacy, security, and incident response matters.’ Kelly DeMarchis Bastide is also noted.

Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 2

Venable LLP  is commended for its ‘deep knowledge of the tech industry‘ and ‘ability to convey complex concepts and structures to non expert audiences‘. The standalone team provides invaluable support to other departments within the firm, including related advice on M&A deals. Core to its offering is a strong focus on domestic and international systems procurement and strategic sourcing deals, built on an understanding of relevant technologies, including Saas and cloud agreements, AI, and the internet of things. This spans various sectors including healthcare, financial services, pharma, retail, energy and manufacturing.  Key partners in Washington DC include the ‘attentive, kind and pragmatic‘ Nora Garrote who co-chairs the IP transactions group, experienced TMC co-chair William Russell, and Armand Zottola. San Francisco partner Jim Nelson is active on the IP transactional and outsourcing side. The ‘charming, creative and detail-oriented‘ trade mark partner Rebecca Liebowitz (Washington DC) and Baltimore-based corporate partner Anthony Rosso  are also singled out.

Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs) Tier 2

Venable LLP is noted for its expertise in Maryland law and advises an assortment of publicly traded REITs on a spectrum of corporate matters including high-value transactional work and debt offerings. The Baltimore-based team has a track record operating in this space for over two decades and is led by James Hanks  and Sharon Kroupa . Co-chair of the corporate practice Patricia McGowan is praised by peers and focuses on REITs-related Maryland corporation law, whilst Christopher W Pate advises non-traded registered REITs on transactions. Other key contacts in the team include Brian Field  and Carmen Fonda , who is highlighted by peers.

Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 3

Boasting a combined strength in district court, PTAB, Federal Circuit and ITC, Venable LLP stands as the IP counsel of choice for prominent companies in the life sciences and electronic sector, counting long-term clients like Canon and notable names from the pharmaceutical industry such as Novartis or Currax Pharmaceuticals among its client roster. The practice comprises seasoned trial lawyers, including the New York-based Dominick Conde and the Washington DC-based Justin Pierce as heads of the IP division; and technology litigation specialists Frank Gasparo, Michael Sandonato (both in New York) and Megan Woodworth (in Washington DC). Frank Cimino, who focuses on electronics, software, communications, and automotive technologies, is another name to note.

Media, technology and telecoms > Advertising and marketing: transactional and regulatory Tier 3

Venable LLP‘s advertising and marketing team is well known in the market, both for its advisory and litigation expertise. Co-led by regulatory compliance, investigations, and disputes specialist Leonard Gordon in New York and Jeffrey Knowles in Washington DC, the practice derives strength from a longstanding regulatory background in advertising including in the television, internet and social media spaces, while also benefitting from the firm’s privacy department. The team's work covers sweepstakes, gaming, privacy, product safety matters as well as regulatory compliance, advertising claims, and subscription and auto-renewal matters.

Government > Government contracts Tier 4

Venable LLP practice is co-led by Washington DC-based Paul Debolt, and Virginia-based Scott Hommer. The team has a track record and extensive expertise in bid protests both filing and defense, suspension and debarment proceedings, regulatory compliance, and investigations. Debolt is experienced particularly in bid protests, with significant experience in claims, internal investigations, and data rights issues. Hommer maintains an emphasis on technology contractors in his practice, representing local, national, and international clients in contract negotiations, acquisitions, and IP right protection. Also of note in the DC team are Dismas Locaria, Douglas Proxmire , and Rebecca Pearson, all of whom are strong litigators in the public procurement space.

Industry focus > Energy regulation: oil and gas Tier 4

Venable LLP frequently acts as regulatory and litigation shipper counsel in crude oil, petroleum product and natural gas liquid pipeline cases before the FERC.  The group represents a host of shipper clientele, including refinery, marketers and end-users. Areas of expertise include ROE development, market manipulation and O&M cost allocation, among others. Based in Washington DC, practice head Richard Powers is known for representing trade associations and their members.

Industry focus > Environment: regulatory Tier 4

Venable LLP is well positioned to handle all types of environmental and natural resources issues.  Retained by public and private sector clients in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, mining and utilities for assistance in permitting, compliance, federal and state policy, the department balances a broad and busy workload in the area of environmental regulatory counseling. The team possesses the ability to represent clients in all aspects of federal and state environmental law, including on legislative initiative before Congress and regulatory agencies. On the compliance front, attorneys have a deep understanding of environmental issues surrounding energy development, endangered species, air emissions, water, solid and hazardous waste disposal and chemical substances. Based in Washington DC, Douglas Green is seasoned in administrative litigation and enforcement defense. William Sloan, who represents a broad pool of US and international clients in both environmental regulatory and litigation matters, is a noteworthy practitioner in San Francisco.

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design Tier 4

Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation) Tier 4

The ‘highly capable and experienced‘ construction law attorneys at Venable LLP concentrate on representing government owners in all types of construction law matters relating to a plethora of projects. In a recent highlight, practice head Kenneth Roberts has been leading advice to the Metropolitan Council on the 14.5-mile extension of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.’s Green Line light rail line. Deputy leader of the department and praised as ‘an excellent legal advisor‘, Heidi Rowe is a regular counsel for contract drafting and negotiation in major projects, as well as assisting with claims management to avoid litigation. Amanda MacVey in Washington DC has particular knowledge of projects for utility companies, while Jonathan Freilich is the name to note at counsel level. Unless otherwise noted, above named lawyers are based at the firm’s Chicago office.

Finance > Financial services regulation Tier 7

Venable LLP advises a broad client base on compliance with state and federal consumer finance regulations. The team is particularly focused on fintech clients, providing them with assistance on the development and launch of new products and services. Elsewhere, the practice advises debt collection agencies, payment processors, and lending platforms on both ongoing regulatory compliance as well as the regulatory aspects of transactions. Jonathan Pompan is a key name to note with a broad client base, while Ellen Berge has a focus on payment processing. Laura Biddle  and Allyson Baker departed the firm in May and October 2021, respectively. All lawyers mentioned are in Washington DC.