A California clinic that once relied on Venable LLP for legal defense against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now turning the tables—suing the law firm for more than $10 million. The clinic claims Venable not only mishandled its case but also later worked against its interests in an unrelated legal battle, spreading false information that harmed its reputation.
The California Stem Cell Treatment Center filed its lawsuit in state court, demanding Venable return all legal fees—around $500,000 already paid—plus another $10 million in damages. The clinic also alleges the firm is still pursuing an additional $532,000 in unpaid bills.
Venable, which had represented the clinic in an FDA lawsuit over unapproved stem cell therapies, remained involved in the case even after one of its key attorneys left for Jones Day in 2021. The clinic ultimately won that battle in 2022, with a federal judge ruling its treatments fell outside FDA jurisdiction. But the legal saga didn’t end there.
A separate lawsuit in Washington state accused the clinic and others of medical malpractice after a patient, Michael Trujillo, died following a stem cell injection into his spine. According to the clinic, Venable and its attorney, Thomasina Poirot—who are now named as defendants in the new lawsuit—began representing another party in the malpractice case without the clinic’s consent. Worse, the clinic claims Venable actively blamed its medical practices for Trujillo’s death, despite the fact that none of its doctors treated him.
Although the clinic was eventually cleared in the malpractice suit, it says it was forced to spend $200,000 on legal fees—and could owe more if the case is appealed. Adding another twist, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later reversed the clinic’s FDA victory, ruling in September that its treatments do fall under the agency’s oversight.
As the legal dust settles, Venable has remained silent, declining to comment on the lawsuit. The firm’s former client, however, isn’t backing down—demanding payback for what it sees as a staggering betrayal.
