Vernessa Pollard Named to National Law Journal's "Minority 40 Under 40" List

October 2011 - The National Law Journal named partner Vernessa Pollard to its "Minority 40 Under 40" list in its October 31, 2011 issue. The paper selected lawyers who have "wielded national influence in their practice areas," whether they are at law firms or in government, academic or public interest sectors.

Ms. Pollard was highlighted for her representation of multinational drug companies and medical device makers in major Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory matters. Born on the Caribbean island of Grenada, Ms. Pollard immigrated to the United States to rejoin her parents, and The National Law Journal points out that ever since, she has made the most of every opportunity. The paper noted that when a case assignment involving a product regulated by the FDA came to Ms. Pollard early in her career, she said "it really spoke to me. FDA issues just seemed to be so relevant to the way we live our lives every day."

Prior to joining Arnold & Porter, Ms. Pollard spent six years as an Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement in the Office of Chief Counsel at the FDA, where she garnered numerous recognitions, including the FDA Commissioner's Award of Excellence. During her tenure at the agency, she handled a variety of major litigation matters, and advised agency clients on compliance and regulatory issues involving drugs, medical devices, dietary supplements, cosmetics, good manufacturing practices (GMP), Congressional inquiries and disclosure of records under the Freedom of Information Act.

In 2008, Ms. Pollard joined Arnold & Porter's Washington, DC office as counsel and she was named partner just two years later. In addition to advising major pharmaceutical companies at Arnold & Porter, Ms. Pollard advises biopharmaceutical, telecommunications, and technology companies on the legal, regulatory, and legislative matters related to FDA-regulated health information systems, Medical Device Data Systems, wireless medical devices, mobile health apps, and other telehealth products, helping them navigate the legal, regulatory, and commercial challenges associated with the development and marketing of innovative medical devices and health information technology.