WASHINGTON, D.C.—Venable LLP is pleased to announce that David Bonelli has joined the firm as a partner in the Autonomous and Connected Mobility Group in the Washington, DC office. Mr. Bonelli focuses his practice on autonomous technologies, electric vehicles, micromobility, and healthcare transportation.
Mr. Bonelli has significant experience developing legal and policy strategies for autonomous and electric vehicle transportation and technologies, business-government relations, and securing federal contracts and grant opportunities for his clients. Mr. Bonelli’s legal work includes serving as a senior attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Department of Transportation, where he drafted and advised on administration policies, legislation, and rulemaking for highway and motor vehicle safety issues.
During his tenure at NHTSA, he was responsible for representing the agency on oversight, regulatory, budget, and strategic transportation legal and policy matters. He developed regulations for highway and motor vehicle safety programs, including the “Cash for Clunkers” Program. He also served as counsel on a detail to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, where he assisted in drafting and negotiating legislation authorizing Department of Transportation programs. Most recently, Mr. Bonelli worked at Lyft as a federal regulatory policy advisor for the company on emerging technology issues, including autonomous and electric vehicle ridesharing, bicycles, and scooters.
Mr. Bonelli received his J.D. with honors from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law and his B.A. in English and psychology from Georgetown University.
