Mia C. Donnelly is an of counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she practices in the firm’s Litigation Department, with a focus on environmental and consumer protection litigation and regulation. In addition to providing both proactive and reactive compliance counseling, she represents clients in internal and federal and state investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, governmental and private plaintiff litigation, and settlement negotiations. Mia has experience navigating numerous complex regimes—including the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, the Endangered Species Act, and California’s vehicle emissions regulations—as well as under state UDAP and tort laws.
Representative experience includes:
- Successfully obtaining on behalf of eBay Inc. Rule 12 dismissal of claims by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency alleging violations of three major federal environmental statutes, a victory recognized as an American Lawyer Litigator of the Week Runner-Up. United States v. eBay Inc., No. 23-CV-7173, 2024 WL 4350523 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 30, 2024).
- Representing Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC in an investigation and civil enforcement action regarding compliance with Clean Air Act requirements governing emissions controls and in the related settlement of civil claims with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Attorney General, the California Air Resources Board, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. United States v. Daimler AG, No. 20-2564 (D.D.C.).
- Securing multiple dismissals of a vehicle tampering action brought by Hillsborough County, Florida against Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, including a dismissal with prejudice under Rule 12(b)(6) that was affirmed on appeal. Env’t Prot. Comm’n of Hillsborough Cnty., Fla. v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, 2022 WL 4355666 (M.D. Fla. Sept. 20, 2022), aff’d, 2023 WL 4678978 (11th Cir. July 21, 2023).
- Designing and implementing corporate and technical compliance programs, including to address emerging risks, enforcement trends, and the novel application of law to non-traditionally regulated entities, and working directly with company auditors to evaluate the efficacy of compliance measures.
- Representing a major manufacturer in an investigation by state attorneys general related to consumer protection and environmental claims.
- Representing an energy company in California Environmental Quality Act challenge related to the conversion of a fossil fuels plant to a renewable fuels facility.
- Defending an international food and beverage company in a consumer class action pursuing labeling claims.
Mia also has experience practicing as part of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. She has represented clients in single plaintiff and class action litigation in a range of employment matters, including those involving non-competition agreements, trade secrets, wage and hour laws, and discrimination. She secured full victory in an arbitration of independent contractor misclassification claims on behalf of a major technology company.
Mia previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Mia graduated with highest honors from The George Washington University Law School and was awarded Order of the Coif. She also received the John Ordronaux Award, given to the student with the highest cumulative GPA after the first year of study and the Phi Delta Delta Award, awarded to the woman with the highest average in the first semester of study. She served as a Managing Editor of the George Washington Law Review and a Writing Fellow in the GW Law Writing Center. Mia received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from The Pennsylvania State University, where she graduated with high distinction.
She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia, and before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Capabilities
- Litigation
- Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice
- Environmental Litigation and Mass Tort
- Labor and Employment
Credentials
Education:
- George Washington University - 2015 Juris Doctor
- Pennsylvania State University - 2012 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- District of Columbia Bar
- Virginia Bar
Clerkships:
- USDC, District of Columbia, Hon. Royce Lamberth, 2016 - 2017