Venable LLP > Washington DC, United States > Firm Profile

Venable LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

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

Active across domestic and cross-border deals including all-stock mergers of equals, de-SPAC mergers and buy- and sell-side acquisitions, Venable LLP‘s team of ‘subject matter experts’ maintains a diverse roster of clients that includes healthcare providers, automobile manufacturers and companies active in the TMT space. In Washington DC, Robert Bolger co-chairs the firm’s corporate practice group and offers deep-seated expertise in hospitality sector M&A. Also in DC, co-head Frank Ciatto receives frequent praise in the market for his handling of complex mergers, while Karen Hermann is well-equipped to handle cross-border transactions involving a broad range of jurisdictions. New York lawyer Mark Vecchio excels at navigating acquisitions within the heavy industry sector. Baltimore partner Charles Morton Jr‘s diverse practice is centered around private-equity-led transactions, and Baltimore-based lawyer Anthony Rosso is acquainted with the intricacies of transactions in the data and cybersecurity industries. A further name to note in the Baltimore office is Nicholas Collevecchio, who advises etsablished corporate entities and growth companies on debt financings and inbound equity investments.

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 1

Venable LLP‘s privacy and data security offering sits within its wider technology and innovation group, a standout for its deep policy expertise and experience in the advertising sector. Co-chair of the technology and innovation group Stuart Ingis, based in Washington DC, centers his practice around the development of privacy regulation, including industry self-regulation. His experience includes taking a privacy counsel role for a range of leading industry trade associations, and conducting advocacy before the FTC and state attorneys general. Fellow technology and innovation co-chair Michael Signorelli, also in DC, is also noted for his policymaking experience, with particular crossover expertise in advertising law. Privacy and data security team chair Emilio Cividanes, DC, has an extensive track record drafting federal privacy regulations, combined with skilled representation of companies under investigation by bodies including the FTC. For privacy compliance advice, DC co-chairs Julia Tama and Kelly DeMarchis Bastide are recommended; Tama is particularly sought after for financial privacy, advertising, and children’s privacy matters, while DeMarchis Bastide is a go-to for consumer data privacy and protection work. Based across San Francisco and DC, Tara Sugiyama Potashnik is a key partner for communications sector regulatory and government issues.

Tax > Not-for-profit (Fortune 1000 private foundations, national trade associations, and charities) Tier 1

Venable LLP maintains a client roster that encompasses public charities, private foundations, advocacy groups, and cultural associations, with a strong record of advising entities in the education, healthcare, and culture sectors. George E Constantine leads the team from Washington DC and has experience advising on issues of tax exemption, antitrust, governance, and political activity, among other matters. Other core team members include Janice Ryan, a ‘known expert in nonprofit operations’ based in DC, Lindsay Nathan in New York, whose focus is political law, and Robert L Waldman of Baltimore, who is particularly active on behalf of clients in the education sector. Yosef Ziffer, also of Baltimore, advises on complex reorganizations within the nonprofit space. Meredith McCoy, who is based in DC, plays a key role in the firm’s political law practice and made partner in January 2024.

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

Co-headed from Baltimore by Kathleen Hardway  and Jason Rose , Venable LLP‘s product liability and mass tort group has over the years developed particular expertise in the life sciences sector, marrying subject matter and regulatory prowess with a deep understanding of effective litigation tactics. Consequently, the team regularly secures leadership roles on large aggregated litigation, including acting as national counsel responsible for shaping the overarching management and strategy of MDLs. The firm’s role as co-counsel to Takeda in litigation related to its PPI medications remains a highlight of the practice, with Rose, Craig Thompson and Bruce Parker , all having pivotal roles in the matter and successfully guiding the firm to securing the dismissal of the majority of cases filed in Delaware. One of the specialized areas of practice that the firm excels in is representing vaccine manufacturers who face allegations of vaccine injury, where Dino Sangiamo is particularly skilled.    

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

Venable LLP provides comprehensive advertising litigation services to a notable client base of US national advertisers and other industry corporations, offering representation in class actions, Lanham Act disputes, and regulatory litigation. The group has an FDA practice that supports the firm’s specialty in acting for the food and beverage sector. Group chair, Roger Colaizzi, based in Washington DC, stands out for his trial experience in cases relating to false advertising claims, FTC and CFPB regulatory matters, and IP matters. San Francisco-based Angel Garganta  has been recognized for his experience in class actions relating to food advertising and packaging. Daniel S. Silverman, based in Los Angeles, specializes in ‘slack fill’ cases and Lanham Act false advertising disputes. Heading IP litigation, New York-based Marcella Ballard is highly respected for her work on branding cases and is involved in international arbitration. Ari Rothman, who is based between Washington DC and Los Angeles, is noted for his national work on TCPA matters, litigating FTC lawsuits, and has represented clients in high-stake cases.

Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 2

Venable LLP's technology, media, and commercial team advises both customers and vendors on a range of projects relating to privacy and cybersecurity, healthcare-tech, and tech-centric joint ventures. Elsewhere, the firm assists clients with systems procurement, SaaS agreements, and software licensing. The leadership trio comprises William Russell, who concentrates on cross-border tech deals, Armand Zottola, who counsels clients on e-commerce and data matters, and San Francisco-based James E Nelson, who has demonstrable expertise in NFT and generative AI projects. Ryan Sweigard advises on licensing concerns and internal AI strategies, while Christopher Kim’s scope of work includes data analytics, consumer electronics, and payment processing. Unless otherwise mentioned, all named individuals are stationed in Washington DC.

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

A Maryland-based REITs practice, Venable LLP is a key name for firms requiring counsel on Maryland specific REIT issues. Publicly traded Maryland REITs are the main focus of the team, it also advises SEC-registered, non-listed REITs and private REITs on Maryland corporate law such as IPOs, M&A, and equity and debt offerings. Corporate governance is a key area of advisory work the firm does for public REITs. James Hanks is an expert on Maryland corporate law, Patricia McGowan is a leading REITs corporate lawyer and acts as counsel to issues in stock and debt offerings, and practice head Michael Schiffer handles both public and private REIT issues such as M&A. Christopher Pate is the go-to for matters involving non-listed REITs such as liquidations, mergers, and potential conflicts of interest. Also noted is Carmen Fonda who is an expert in Maryland corporate and business entity law. The aforementioned team are all based in Baltimore.

Energy > Energy litigation: oil and gas Tier 3

Washington DC-based Venable LLP‘s robust energy practice continues to provide comprehensive regulatory and litigation advice on a range of oil and gas related matters, including crude oil, petroleum product, and NGL pipeline cases before the FERC. Practice head Richard Powers is noted for his deep experience in administrative, judicial, and transactional matters in the oil and gas industry. Steven Adducci is another key contact, routinely advising on regulatory and litigation matters in crude oil and petroleum products before FERC and state regulatory commissions, while Matthew Field is recognized for his expertise in complex proceedings including challenging the rates of a major refined petroleum products pipeline in the US. Also of note is Gregory Wagner, whose broad practice ranges from litigation to regulatory advice, including on natural gas infrastructure development.

Finance > Financial services regulation Tier 3

Venable LLP advises clients in the payments, fintech and banking sectors on the regulatory landscape governing their daily operations, including the licensing and setup of new consumer lending products. The practice is also tasked with representing said clients when facing regulatory investigations and enforcement actions by the CFPB and FTC. Leading the practice is a five-person team consisting of payment systems specialists Ellen Berge and Andrew Bigart, and experienced litigators Michael Bresnick, Leonard Gordon, and Jonathan Pompan, who represent clients in actions brought by the DOJ, among others. All are based in Washington DC, with the exception of Gordon, who is located in New York. Max Bonici joined the firm’s Washington office from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in July 2023, handling bank prudential regulations, internal investigations and BHCA matters.

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

Venable LLP has a broad intellectual property practice that spans a variety of sectors, including science, tech and consumer products, allowing it to act for a wide variety of clients in patent infringement disputes, often as part of a global litigation strategy. The practice is led by Dominick Conde, who is an expert in Abbreviated New Drug Application litigation, and Washington DC-based counterfeiting and patent protection expert Justin Pierce. The group also includes copyright litigator Marcella Ballard, life sciences IP expert Scott Reed, Frank Gasparo, whose practice focuses on IP litigation and on the management of global IP portfolios, as well as trial lawyer Michael Sandonato and life sciences specialist William Solander. The Washington DC group also includes Michele Frank, who is a ‘standout‘ practitioner, and Megan Woodworth , who focuses on patent litigation and appeals. All lawyers are New York-based unless otherwise mentioned.

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

Venable LLP represents a broad range of clients including broadcasters, e-commerce brands, and financial services companies in predominantly regulatory matters. The firm has experience handling cases before the FTC, FDA, CFPC, and the US Supreme Court. Leonard Gordon, based in New York, chairs the practice and has particular expertise in government investigations, frequently representing clients before regulatory agencies and attorneys general. In Washington DC, Stuart Ingis specializes in privacy law, representing companies before the US Congress as well as other federal and state entities. Another key member of the team is Melissa Steinman, also based in Washington DC, who focuses on consumer protection issues, and has vast experience dealing with matters relating to marketing promotions, sweepstakes, and loyalty programs, while also being active in emerging technologies such as web3 and the metaverse.

Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation) Tier 3

Venable LLP’s practice is jointly led by Kenneth Roberts and Heidi Rowe from the Chicago office, who showcases demonstrable experience in claim resolutions and procurement contract drafting and negotiation. The team frequently acts as counsel to range of of public and private clients in the healthcare, real estate, and sports industries, and serving as outside counsel to developers for residential, office, and retail properties. Another key contact in the Chicago office is Virgil Montgomery, who assists with procurement-related infrastructure matters, while Washington DC-based Amanda Schermer MacVey advises on project planning and procurement in public infrastructure projects. New York-based associate Katherine Peluso handles cases concerning adjacent owner disputes, contract disputes, and construction defects.

Transport > Rail and road: litigation and regulation Tier 3

With ‘great experience and technical understanding of key policy issues and challenges’, Venable LLP‘s autonomous and connected mobility practice is particularly experienced in emerging mobility technology.  Its client base includes startups, technology firms, global original equipment manufacturers, major suppliers, and component manufacturers; and in addition to the firm’s representation of corporations, it acts for several trade and industry association clients. The group regularly advises on the issues that arise at the intersection of automation, connectivity, electrification, and safety. Practice head Ariel Wolf is a former senior official at the US Department of Transportation. Beyond his work on high-stakes investigations and regulatory compliance, Wolf serves as general counsel to the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association. The department also features David Bonelli, a January 2023 partner-level hire from Lyft, where he managed the company’s autonomous vehicle regulatory and legislative portfolio. All attorneys mentioned are in the firm’s DC office unless otherwise stated.

Government > Government contracts Tier 4

Bid protests and disputes are the cornerstone of Venable LLP‘s government contracts practice, with prominent defense and healthcare contractors seeking the firm’s services for large, high-stakes litigation. Paul Debolt, who accompanies clients through bidding and selection processes, contract performance, and termination, heads the Washington DC office, while Scott Hommer, who assists tech companies working in Defense, Treasury, and State Department contexts, leads from Virginia. In DC, Dismas Locaria advises on regulatory issues, and suspension and debarment proceedings, and Rebecca Pearson is proficient in defense, healthcare, and IT sector litigation, while Virgina’s James Boland is frequently retained in bid protests by major defense and intelligence names. At the counsel level, Christopher Griesedieck‘s work encompasses defense, logistics and IT contract disputes, and Michael Francel, who was promoted in January 2023, has accrued experience in SAFETY Act designation and certification disputes, as well as homeland security and large public venues. Both are based in DC.   Caleb McCallum; Lindsay Reed; Allison Siegel