Vanessa is an expert in administrative and constitutional law. Her work has been featured by major outlets including Fox News, CNN, The Washington Post, Science Magazine, and more. She co-founded and co-directs Advancing Law for Animals, where she develops impact litigation to further the interests of our nonhuman friends, with an emphasis on government transparency and accountability. Vanessa is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, and recognized as 2022-2023 Adjunct Professor of the Year.
Among other cases, Vanessa is currently suing NIH on behalf of The White Coat Waste Project, Inc. to end an illegal loophole exempting foreign grant recipients from animal welfare, transparency, and reporting obligations mandated by Congress. This litigation was cited by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in its report concluding NIH should strengthen oversight of experimentation it funds in foreign countries. Previously, Vanessa reached a landmark settlement with USDA over illegally-promulgated regulations concealing violations of the Animal Welfare Act.