Melissa Landau Steinman practices primarily in the areas of advertising and marketing, antitrust, trade regulation, consumer protection and general commercial law, litigating cases and counseling clients on matters that arise from these business concerns. She is uniquely familiar with the technology, retail and hospitality industries.
Ms. Steinman focuses her practice on assisting companies at every stage of distributing their products, reviewing advertising and marketing materials for all types of media, vetting pricing and "sales" claims, creating product warranties and advising clients on product safety issues, and addressing related intellectual property and privacy matters. She has represented clients in both private and government litigation relating to these matters, with experience handling both class action and Lanham Act matters, as well as Federal and State government investigations. Most recently, Ms. Steinman wrote and edited the "Guide to Federal and State Regulation of Advertising," a comprehensive two volume book/CD-ROM on the law of advertising and promotions.
Ms. Steinman has developed a unique specialty in consumer promotions law, with experience in the federal and state laws applicable to promotional tools such as gift cards, rebates, "free" gifts, and rewards programs. In particular, Ms. Steinman has an unusual depth of knowledge with prize promotions and Internet gaming, combining understanding of the law of promotional contests, electronic media, and federal and state regulatory law. In her gaming practice, Ms. Steinman has worked with a diverse clientele that includes some of the nation's largest consumer products and services companies, Internet gaming and gambling providers, game show producers and entertainment conglomerates, software companies, and a wide variety of charitable entities. Ms. Steinman has written extensively on the subject of sweepstakes and contests, as well as charitable promotions and commercial co-ventures: she contributed chapters to the American Bar Association's new Consumer Protection Law Handbook; the Promotion Marketing Association's new edition of its treatise on Promotion Marketing Law; and Venable's e-book, So You Want to Be on the Internet. She has spoken frequently on promotions and other issues and her commentary has appeared nationally in publications as prominent as the Los Angeles Times.
Ms. Steinman also has extensive experience working with clients on distribution antitrust issues. She represented the defendant in one of the first resale price maintenance cases filed after the Supreme Court's decision in Leegin Creative Leather Products v. PSKS, Inc. In addition, she has worked with numerous association clients on their antitrust policies, standards and certification programs, codes of ethics and other programs and policies. She has spoken widely on various topics relevant to associations, including antitrust, intellectual property and antitrust; associations and standard-setting; privacy and other issues.
Activities
Ms. Steinman serves on the Board of the Directors of the Promotion Marketing Association, with her term starting this year; she is also active in the PMA's Legal and Government Affairs Center of Excellence. She is a member of the Antitrust Division of the American Bar Association, including the Consumer Protection and Privacy Subcommittees, the Maryland Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, and the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia.
Industries
Consumer Products and Services
Nonprofit Organizations and Associations
Credit Counseling and Debt Services
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Task Force
Memberships
American Bar Association
Maryland Bar Association
District of Columbia Bar Association
Promotion Marketing Association
Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia
News
June 15, 2011, Chambers, Legal 500 Name Venable Top Ad Law Firm
June 3, 2011, 29 Venable attorneys featured in Legal 500's 2011 rankings
January 25, 2011, Melissa Landau Steinman quoted on social media-related lawsuits
June 11, 2010, Venable's Advertising & Marketing Practice Wins Chambers USA Award for Excellence
March 27, 2009, Melissa Landau Steinman elected to PMA Board
December 19, 2005, Venable LLP Promotes Twelve to Partner
Honors
Recognized in the 2010 - 2011 editions of Legal 500, Marketing and Advertising
Publications
April 12, 2012, Advertising News & Analysis - April 12, 2012
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Roger A. Colaizzi, Gary D. Hailey, Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
April 2012, Gift Card Sellers Take Note: Groupon Settlement and New Developments in New Jersey May Affect Your Business Strategy
Melissa Landau Steinman, Tara Sugiyama Potashnik
Advertising Alert
February 14, 2012, How Nonprofits Can Raise Money and Awareness through Promotional Campaigns without Raising Legal Risks
Melissa Landau Steinman, Mikhia E. Hawkins
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Tax and Employee Benefits
January 2012, The Download - January 2012
Stuart P. Ingis, Melissa Landau Steinman, Tara Sugiyama Potashnik
The Download
January 19, 2012, Advertising News & Analysis - January 19, 2012
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Roger A. Colaizzi, Gary D. Hailey, Ian D. Volner, Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
October 7, 2011, Advertising News & Analysis - October 7, 2011
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Gary D. Hailey, Melissa Landau Steinman, Stephen E. Marshall, Ben D. Whitwell
Advertising Alert
September 2011, Picture is Bleak for Michaels' Crafty Ads
Melissa Landau Steinman, Maura A. Marcheski
Advertising Alert
September 22, 2011, Advertising News & Analysis - September 22, 2011
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Gary D. Hailey, Mikhia E. Hawkins, Jonathan L. Pompan,Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
August 18, 2011, Advertising News & Analysis - August 18, 2011
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Gary D. Hailey, Meaghan Hemmings Kent, Claudia A. Lewis-Eng, Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
January 2011, Are You Ready? New Recordkeeping Requirements if You Offer Gift Cards in New Jersey
Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
December 16, 2010, So You Want To Be On The Internet®
Maurice Baskin, George E. Constantine, Todd R. Farnsworth, Mikhia E. Hawkins,Lisa M. Hix, George W. Johnston, Matthew T. Journy, Joshua J. Kaufman, Gilead I. Light, Luisa M. Lopez, Caryn G. Pass, Janet F. Satterthwaite, Melissa Landau Steinman, Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Armand J. (A.J.) Zottola
Related Topic Area(s): Social Media
November 19, 2010, Mobile Marketing Statutory/Regulatory Overview
Melissa Landau Steinman
October 2010, FTC Proposes Revised Green Marketing Guides
Melissa Landau Steinman, Ian D. Volner, Gary D. Hailey
Client Alerts
May 2010, When Marketing Through Social Media, Legal Risks Can Go Viral
Melissa Landau Steinman, Mikhia E. Hawkins
Related Topic Area(s): Electronic Communications
January 2010, U.S. Department of Energy Finalizes Landmark Energy Efficiency Consent Decree
Melissa Landau Steinman
Environmental Alert
June 11, 2009, Historic Credit Card Crackdown Law Affects Creditors, Credit Card Issuers, Gift Card Sellers, Colleges and More
Emilio W. Cividanes, William J. Donovan, Suzanne Fay Garwood, Stuart P. Ingis,Robert L. Smith, II, Melissa Landau Steinman
Financial Services Alert
July 1, 2008, Promotion Marketing Law, Sixth Edition
Melissa Landau Steinman
January 1, 2008, Consumer Protection Law Handbook
Melissa Landau Steinman
American Bar Association
December 2007, The Guide to Federal and State Regulation of Advertising, Volume 1
Melissa Landau Steinman
March 2007, Prize Promotion Do's and Don'ts
Melissa Landau Steinman
December 2006, Gift Cards: The New Plastic in Your Wallet and How the Government Regulates Them
Melissa Landau Steinman, Jeffrey D. Knowles
Electronic Retailing Magazine
August 15, 2006, In the Matter of Rambus: Lessons for SSOs and Their Members
Melissa Landau Steinman
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Certification, Standard-Setting and Codes of Ethics
July 6, 2005, Promotions, Privacy and Postage
Melissa Landau Steinman
September 27, 2004, Vertical Restraints and Distribution: Complying wih the Antritrust Laws
Melissa Landau Steinman
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation
September 1, 2004, New Antitrust Protection for Standards Development Organizations
Melissa Landau Steinman
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Certification, Standard-Setting and Codes of Ethics
April 2004, Legal Issues Affecting Standard-Setting: Antitrust and Intellectual Property
Melissa Landau Steinman
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Certification, Standard-Setting and Codes of Ethics
November 21, 1999, So You Want To Be On The Internet®
Walter R. Calvert, Joshua J. Kaufman, Brian J. O'Connor, Andrew D. Price, Michael A. Sartori, Ph.D., Janet F. Satterthwaite, Melissa Landau Steinman, Damon W.D. Wright
Related Topic Area(s): Copyrights and Trademarks
September 1, 1997, COMPAQ amicus brief
Melissa Landau Steinman
Events/Speaking Engagements
Past Events
April 12, 2012, Advertising News & Analysis - April 12, 2012
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Roger A. Colaizzi, Gary D. Hailey, Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
April 2012, Gift Card Sellers Take Note: Groupon Settlement and New Developments in New Jersey May Affect Your Business Strategy
Melissa Landau Steinman, Tara Sugiyama Potashnik
Advertising Alert
February 14, 2012, How Nonprofits Can Raise Money and Awareness through Promotional Campaigns without Raising Legal Risks
Melissa Landau Steinman, Mikhia E. Hawkins
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Tax and Employee Benefits
January 2012, The Download - January 2012
Stuart P. Ingis, Melissa Landau Steinman, Tara Sugiyama Potashnik
The Download
January 19, 2012, Advertising News & Analysis - January 19, 2012
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Roger A. Colaizzi, Gary D. Hailey, Ian D. Volner, Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
October 7, 2011, Advertising News & Analysis - October 7, 2011
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Gary D. Hailey, Melissa Landau Steinman, Stephen E. Marshall, Ben D. Whitwell
Advertising Alert
September 2011, Picture is Bleak for Michaels' Crafty Ads
Melissa Landau Steinman, Maura A. Marcheski
Advertising Alert
September 22, 2011, Advertising News & Analysis - September 22, 2011
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Gary D. Hailey, Mikhia E. Hawkins, Jonathan L. Pompan,Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
August 18, 2011, Advertising News & Analysis - August 18, 2011
Jeffrey D. Knowles, Gary D. Hailey, Meaghan Hemmings Kent, Claudia A. Lewis-Eng, Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
January 2011, Are You Ready? New Recordkeeping Requirements if You Offer Gift Cards in New Jersey
Melissa Landau Steinman
Advertising Alert
December 16, 2010, So You Want To Be On The Internet®
Maurice Baskin, George E. Constantine, Todd R. Farnsworth, Mikhia E. Hawkins,Lisa M. Hix, George W. Johnston, Matthew T. Journy, Joshua J. Kaufman, Gilead I. Light, Luisa M. Lopez, Caryn G. Pass, Janet F. Satterthwaite, Melissa Landau Steinman, Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Armand J. (A.J.) Zottola
Related Topic Area(s): Social Media
November 19, 2010, Mobile Marketing Statutory/Regulatory Overview
Melissa Landau Steinman
October 2010, FTC Proposes Revised Green Marketing Guides
Melissa Landau Steinman, Ian D. Volner, Gary D. Hailey
Client Alerts
May 2010, When Marketing Through Social Media, Legal Risks Can Go Viral
Melissa Landau Steinman, Mikhia E. Hawkins
Related Topic Area(s): Electronic Communications
January 2010, U.S. Department of Energy Finalizes Landmark Energy Efficiency Consent Decree
Melissa Landau Steinman
Environmental Alert
June 11, 2009, Historic Credit Card Crackdown Law Affects Creditors, Credit Card Issuers, Gift Card Sellers, Colleges and More
Emilio W. Cividanes, William J. Donovan, Suzanne Fay Garwood, Stuart P. Ingis,Robert L. Smith, II, Melissa Landau Steinman
Financial Services Alert
July 1, 2008, Promotion Marketing Law, Sixth Edition
Melissa Landau Steinman
January 1, 2008, Consumer Protection Law Handbook
Melissa Landau Steinman
American Bar Association
December 2007, The Guide to Federal and State Regulation of Advertising, Volume 1
Melissa Landau Steinman
March 2007, Prize Promotion Do's and Don'ts
Melissa Landau Steinman
December 2006, Gift Cards: The New Plastic in Your Wallet and How the Government Regulates Them
Melissa Landau Steinman, Jeffrey D. Knowles
Electronic Retailing Magazine
August 15, 2006, In the Matter of Rambus: Lessons for SSOs and Their Members
Melissa Landau Steinman
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Certification, Standard-Setting and Codes of Ethics
July 6, 2005, Promotions, Privacy and Postage
Melissa Landau Steinman
September 27, 2004, Vertical Restraints and Distribution: Complying wih the Antritrust Laws
Melissa Landau Steinman
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation
September 1, 2004, New Antitrust Protection for Standards Development Organizations
Melissa Landau Steinman
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Certification, Standard-Setting and Codes of Ethics
April 2004, Legal Issues Affecting Standard-Setting: Antitrust and Intellectual Property
Melissa Landau Steinman
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Certification, Standard-Setting and Codes of Ethics
November 21, 1999, So You Want To Be On The Internet®
Walter R. Calvert, Joshua J. Kaufman, Brian J. O'Connor, Andrew D. Price, Michael A. Sartori, Ph.D., Janet F. Satterthwaite, Melissa Landau Steinman, Damon W.D. Wright
Related Topic Area(s): Copyrights and Trademarks
September 1, 1997, COMPAQ amicus brief
Melissa Landau Steinman