Attorney handles government regulatory investigations for advertising and marketing, nutritional supplements, and dietary supplements groups

Venable LLP has announced that Doreen L. Manchester, who has extensive experience handling state attorney general actions involving advertising and marketing claims, has joined the firm’s Washington, DC office as a Counsel in its Regulatory Group. Ms. Manchester joins Venable from Dickstein Shapiro.

Ms. Manchester represents clients in civil litigation, government regulatory investigations, and public policy matters. She has been very active on counseling clients in regulatory actions by the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, and state attorneys general. Her work includes handling cases for food, beverage, personal care, over-the-counter products, and dietary supplement manufacturers. Ms. Manchester is experienced in labeling and advertising issues involving the use of health, nutrient content, structure/function, and disease claims.

Ms. Manchester has also represented clients in general, civil, antitrust, and other complex commercial law matters. She has gained significant experience in all aspects of complex litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of factual and legal scenarios.

Venable boasts one of the nation’s leading advertising and marketing practices. The firm’s Advertising and Privacy Groups won the Chambers Award for Excellence in successive years. US News named Venable its Advertising “Law Firm of the Year,” while Legal 500 named it a Tier 1 firm for Marketing and Advertising in 2015.

The firm has also grown its strong state attorney general practice, which is led by former U.S. Senator and Arkansas Attorney General Mark Pryor. The firm also has brought aboard Erik Jones, the former head of the Illinois Attorney General’s Policy Bureau and former Alabama Deputy Attorney General Kevin Turner.

“Doreen is a strong addition to our practice. State attorneys general are getting more involved in handling advertising and marketing claims and taking on dietary supplement issues. Her experience in this field can prove to be a great benefit for our clients,” said Senator Pryor.

Added Jeffrey D. Knowles, head of the firm’s Advertising and Marketing Practice, “Doreen’s experience handling advertising and labeling issues before both federal and state enforcement agencies brings even greater depth to Venable’s FDA team, which has long been known as a go-to firm for supplement and labeling issues.”

Ms. Manchester began her legal career as a law clerk with the Federal Tort Claims Act Office of the U.S. Department of Justice, working on medical malpractice and personal injury claims involving the Federal Tort Claims Act.

“I’m excited to join Venable. The firm has long had a reputation as a premier platform for advertising and marketing law, as well handling the work for the top dietary and nutritional supplement companies. Over the last year, they have developed a very strong state AG practice, and are one of the few law firms in DC to have a former state attorney general leading the team,” said Ms. Manchester.

Ms. Manchester earned her J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law and her B.A. from Baldwin-Wallace College.