Prior to joining Venable, Brendan was an independent public relations consultant to Fortune 500 companies, leading trade associations and think tanks in the advertising and marketing, automotive, banking and consumer finance, business advocacy, internet and media industries. Before starting his own business, he was a senior executive at Altria Group Inc. and its companies serving in leadership roles in communications, investor relations and strategic planning. He has a strong track record of developing successful communications strategies to advance corporate legislative objectives at every level of government. His litigation communications experience includes every level of the federal and state judicial systems, including multiple U.S. Supreme Court cases, multi-billion class action lawsuits, and litigation brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and state attorneys general.
He currently serves as chairman of the board of trustees of the Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation and was a member of the 2015 class of LEAD VIRGINIA, a statewide leadership program. He previously served on the board of directors of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.