Frequently supporting automotive manufacturers, suppliers, industry groups, and trade associations, the team at Venable LLP has extensive experience advising on regulatory matters and policy frameworks. The group has particular strength in autonomous vehicles, advising the autonomous vehicle industry association as well as advising on zero-emission commercial vehicles, where the team works closely with Powering America’s Commercial Transportation group. Practice head Ariel Wolf is regarded for his work on emerging technology in the sector, counselling on a range of privacy, cybersecurity, and safety issues. Tara Sugiyama Potashnik is a key contact for self-regulatory codes, consumer finance, and e-commerce matters. Bolstering the team’s regulatory practice is David Bonelli, who has extensive experience managing autonomous vehicle policy development. Ian Williams is another key contact. The team is primarily based in Washington DC.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Ariel Wolf is a consummate professional and leading practitioner in the AV space.’
- ‘The team is extremely dedicated, presents material well, is easy to work with, and has good Republican connections.’
- ‘I have enjoyed working with Ariel Wolf and particularly appreciate his personable, calm demeanor. He conveys genuine interest and concern for our account, and his positive, upbeat attitude has been extremely valuable in the face of significant challenges.’
- ‘Leading practitioners in the Autonomous Vehicle space.’
Key clients
- Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association
- Powering America’s Commercial Transportation
- Applied Intuition
- Samsara
- Ascential Technologies
- Volvo Cars
- EP Tyres
- ITELLMOTION
- Vayu
Work highlights
Counsel to the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA), leading the drafting and negotiation of Texas’s new autonomous vehicle regulatory framework and advising on related state and federal AV policy and regulatory matters nationwide.
Counsel to EP Tyres, an original equipment tire manufacturer, managing compliance under a NHTSA consent order, advising on a separate NHTSA investigation and recall, and developing comprehensive internal safety and regulatory.
General counsel to Powering America’s Commercial Transportation (PACT), the leading coalition advancing e-truck charging infrastructure, advising on state and federal regulatory matters and leading development of the “hotspots approach” to accelerate grid energization and deployment in California and beyond.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Ariel Wolf
Other key lawyers
Tara Sugiyama Potashnik; David Bonelli; Ian Williams is