Venable LLP
| Company type | LLP |
|---|---|
| Industry | Legal services |
| Founded | January 1, 1900 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Founder | Richard Venable |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | United States (13 offices nationwide) |
| Products | Regulatory, litigation, corporate, and investigative legal services |
Number of employees | Approximately 850 legal professionals (2021) |
| Website | www |
Venable LLP is a prominent American law firm based in Washington, D.C., recognized as Maryland's largest legal practice. Established in 1900 by founder Richard Venable in Baltimore, the firm now maintains 13 offices nationwide and employs approximately 850 legal professionals focusing on regulatory, litigation, corporate, and investigative legal services.
By 2021, Venable was ranked as the 78th top-grossing law firm internationally, with revenues rising from $681.8 million in 2020 to $717 million. The firm's revenue per attorney stood at an average of $965,031, while profit per equity partner reached $1.23 million, underscoring robust financial results fueled by strategic management and significant market presence.
History
Founded in 1900 by law professor Richard Venable in Baltimore, the firm became the second-largest in the Baltimore-Washington region following its 1999 merger with Washington-based Tucker Flyer. National expansion continued with the opening of a Los Angeles office in 2006.
In 2017, Venable shifted its headquarters to a new location at 600 Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C.
One of the most significant law firm mergers in 2018 saw Venable acquire Fitzpatrick Cella, a New York intellectual property firm, which added 100 attorneys and broadened its market footprint. Continuing its calculated growth strategy, Venable inaugurated a construction law practice in Chicago in January 2021 to better serve client demands.
According to the 2021 The American Lawyer AmLaw 100 rankings, Venable placed 59th for revenue per lawyer, 71st for profits per lawyer, and 65th overall, highlighting solid financial performance.
Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Venable terminated its lobbying engagement with Sberbank, Russia’s largest banking institution, which had compensated the firm with over $800,000 since 2017.
In November 2022, Venable expanded into Florida by merging with Genovese Joblove & Battista, a multi-practice firm operating offices in Miami, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale, thereby strengthening its global reach and market position.
Notable alumni and current attorneys
- Birch Bayh, former U.S. Senator representing Indiana
- James H. Burnley IV, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation
- John Marshall Butler, former U.S. Senator from Maryland
- Benjamin Civiletti, former United States Attorney General
- Doug Emhoff, ex-Managing Director at Venable, Partner at DLA Piper, spouse of Vice President Kamala Harris
- James W. Gerlach, former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania
- Asa Hutchinson, former Arkansas Governor; previously Undersecretary of Homeland Security, DEA Administrator, and U.S. Representative
- Glenn F. Ivey, current U.S. Representative for Maryland’s Fourth Congressional District
- Amy Berman Jackson, District Judge for the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia
- Benson E. Legg, former Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for Maryland
- Daniel E. Lungren, former California Attorney General and U.S. Representative
- L. Paige Marvel, judge on the United States Tax Court
- Powell Moore, former legislative staffer at the White House and official within State and Defense Departments
- J. Frederick Motz, Senior Judge for the U.S. District Court of Maryland
- Francis D. Murnaghan Jr., past federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- Mark Pryor, ex-U.S. Senator from Arkansas
- William D. Quarles Jr., former Maryland U.S. District Judge
- Karl Racine, inaugural elected Attorney General for the District of Columbia
- James E. Rogan, ex-U.S. Representative from California and current Superior Court judge
- John Sarbanes, serving U.S. Representative for Maryland's 3rd district
- Paul Sarbanes, former Maryland U.S. Representative and Senator
- Brian Schwalb, Attorney General for the District of Columbia
- Ari Schwartz, previous cybersecurity advisor to the White House National Security Council
- Bart Stupak, former U.S. Representative from Michigan's 1st district
- Roger W. Titus, federal judge for Maryland’s U.S. District Court
- Robert L. Wilkins, circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit