Jim Burdett, John Cooney, Serena Simons, Jeff Tenenbaum and Damon Wright recently received AV ratings from LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating the organization gives. An AV rating is a significant accomplishment - a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence. A lawyer must be admitted to the bar for at least 10 years and exhibit the highest level of professional and ethical conduct to be eligible for an AV rating. 174 Venable attorneys currently hold AV ratings from Martindale-Hubbell.