Ms. Bryson joined the Holland & Hart Washington office in 2009 bringing a national practice in agriculture, plant and animal health, renewable energy and business and industry loan financing. It includes securing and defending government approvals of innovative plant traits, production process marketing claims, rural development finance, advanced renewable fuels, plant and animal health, environmental compliance and due diligence reviews on agricultural business acquisitions. Client-tailored services are informed by Ms. Bryson's extensive public service experience both as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a career trial attorney and manager at the U.S. Department of Justice as well as more than 20 years in private practice in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Bryson represents a wide range of clients in the agriculture and food industry including producers, processors, and manufacturers, food service companies, technology providers, renewable fuel companies, investment funds, financial providers and trade associations. She provides counseling, regulatory and government relations advice and strategy, and representation on enforcement and compliance matters and federal litigation.
As USDA General Counsel, Ms. Bryson was responsible for USDA legal policy and served as the principal legal advisor to Secretary Ann M. Veneman and Secretary Mike Johanns. She directed department litigation and mediation. Client agencies include: the Food Safety and Inspection Service (APHIS); the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service; the Food and Nutrition Service; the Agricultural Marketing Service; the Forest Service; the Natural Resources Conservation; and Rural Development.
Prior to joining USDA, Ms. Bryson was an environmental and natural resources partner with the law firm of Crowell & Moring, LLP. After resigning from USDA, Ms. Bryson joined the law firm of Venable LLP as founding partner for its agriculture practice and later established her own firm, The Bryson Group. Throughout her private practice experience, she handled litigation, regulatory policy initiatives and legislative representations. Ms. Bryson also served in the U.S. Department of Justice as Assistant Chief of the Environmental Defense Section and in the U.S. Department of Labor as Assistant Counsel for Appellate Litigation.
Ms. Bryson is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the U.S. Supreme Court and the District of Columbia.