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What's in a name? Covington & Burling opened its doors on January 1, 1919. By the 1930s the firm's name had grown along with the firm itself - Rublee and Dean Acheson, who would later become the Secretary of State under President Truman, added their names to the door, followed by Paul Shorb and John Lord O'Brian by 1950. The following year the firm reverted to its original name. In 1989 Covington set up shop in London, its first outpost outside the Washington area. The firm now has about 40 attorneys in its London and Brussels offices. And in December 1997, the firm announced that it had reached an exclusive cooperation agreement with the 60-lawyer French law firm August & Debouzy. Covington opened an office in San Francisco in March 1999 to service and expand its intellectual property and technology practices and merged with tech-savvy New York firm Howard, Smith & Levin in October 1999. Big battles with big brother Covington's client list features some very notable names that have been at the center of high-profile legal conflicts. The firm is tobacco happy - for years, it has been the lead counsel for the Tobacco Institute. Where there's smoke, there's fire - in 1996 the firm took heat for alleged abuse of the attorney-client privilege while representing tobacco clients. That same year, The Washington Post reported that Covington permitted client Philip Morris to funnel more than $1 million into an air-quality firm that testified repeatedly that the secondhand effects of smoking indoors were minimal. (Covington denies that any illegal activities took place.) Covington continues to represent Philip Morris on some controversial issues; in May 1999, the firm challenged regulations issued by the Massachusetts Attorney General which restrict tobacco sales and advertising, charging violations of First Amendment rights as part of the suit. Pro bono props Even the firm's public service efforts are high-profile. The firm does work for the Association of American Medical Colleges, serves as special intellectual property counsel to the Smithsonian Institute and advises PBS on intellectual property and Internet-related issues. All these heavy hitters can't keep Covington from committing to clients with less cash or clout, though. Covington has far and away led all large firms in the DC area in pro bono hours (prompting one associate to refer to its "long-standing tradition of being the 'pro bono firm on steroids'") and in recent years has topped national pro bono rankings in The American Lawyer's annual survey. Covington's pro bono program focuses on civil rights/civil liberties, child welfare initiatives, criminal and court-appointed cases, environment, historic preservation, and intellectual property. We've got it covered While Covington has earned a solid reputation for regulatory matters and litigation, its strengths are many. The firm boasts a strong food and drug practice - its 5,000 volumes on food, drugs, and cosmetics are the centerpiece of its impressive library. In April 1998, Covington was tapped to handle the $1.93 billion sale of Dewar's Scotch whiskey and Bombay gin brands by Diageo PLC to Bacardi Ltd. In other M&A news, the firm represented Computer Associates in its $4 billion February 2000 acquisition of Sterling Software. Covington also has a prominent health care practice. The firm handles regulatory issues involving the development of AIDS drugs, cancer drugs, and recombinant DNA products. It is well known for its popular sports practice as well: Covington represents the National Football League, National Basketball Association, and National Hockey League. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue is a Covington alumnus, and in October 1999 his former firm advised his current organization on the sale of Houston's expansion team. In early 2000, Covington advised the NFL and NBA on a copyright suit against TVRadioNow Corp., a Canadian Internet company that rebroadcast some of the leagues' games over the Web. In the summer of 1998, firm officials indicated three major growth areas for the firm: intellectual property, communications, and Internet law. Accordingly, in February 1999 Covington opened shop in San Francisco, thereby taking on tough competitors such as Wilson, Sonsini; Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison; and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Responding to doubts about the firm's readiness to compete with such tech titans, San Francisco's managing partner James Snipes cited Covington's ability to act as an all-purpose firm with more than just tech resources. "There's a lot of appeal for one-stop shopping on regulatory and corporate and commercial work," he told The Recorder. "It's always more efficient and cost-effective if you can get that all under one roof."
Not your father's interview Covington's DC office is known for its unconventional hiring process. Summer associate candidates are given offers based on campus interviews and reference checks alone. Insiders report that the firm structures the round so that the last interview is with a high-ranking firm official who has heard from others and can say something along the lines of, "It's very likely you will be given an offer." Post-offer interviews are simply informational sessions. The New York office's process is more traditional, however, featuring a second round similar to most large firms. Making the list, checking it twice First-round interviews at Covington are more intense than your average "So do you like sailing?" law firm interview. "They're longer than any other interviews I had at other law firms," says one associate, describing his full day of interviews. "Any given interview lasted at least half an hour, rather than 15 minutes. I would say they were more substantive - usually the interviewer would address some substantive legal topic. They want to figure out how you will discuss legal matters, rather than check your social graces." Covington also requires a writing sample and references from all potential hires. The writing sample is usually a JD note or a case comment. The references are generally law school professors or previous legal employers. "And they do call them," says one associate. "Sometimes the references will call you and say, 'Hey, I got a call from Covington.'" Reports another insider, "The firm places great weight on references and questions references carefully." Candidates should pay attention to the writing sample they submit. Says one associate who submitted a piece written for a law journal, "During my interviews, one or two people asked me about it and argued with me about my conclusions. I didn't expect that I would be challenged." Harvard, clerkship heavy Long known as a Harvard grad stomping ground, Covington has retained its stringent standards. One contact tells us that serious candidates "need to come from a big-name law school or have some other unusually outstanding quality on their resumes." That prized quality is often clerkship experience. "I would say the overwhelming majority of people here have clerked. It may be a Covington thing," says one associate. "They hire folks that go through the summer associate program, but graduates in clerkships are a major secondary source of hires. Not nearly as large but a substantial one." Another insider cautions against playing the clerkship card too heavily without the degree to back it up, however: "There are a few people from lower top 20 schools who had good clerkships, but Covington continues to attract primarily Harvard- and Yale-type pedigrees."
Where do you think you're going? Perhaps because it's so difficult to get into Covington, not too many associates try to get out or at least not to go to other firms. Most "associates who leave move on to government or in-house positions," says a DC corporate observer. In fact, "many return after serving in government, and the firm is very accommodating." A litigation colleague agrees, pointing out that while "a few people have left to chase the pot of gold at the end of the dot com rainbow," most Covington associates who depart are "more likely to go into academia or government." Your work is what counts When it comes to the question of gender, Covington ranks highly. Most associates feel that the firm is "extremely dedicated to fostering an atmosphere that treats women and men equally on a professional track." One lawyer chose "C&B as a lateral specifically because I was looking for a place where gender was not an issue" and has "not been disappointed." Some lawyers leave it at that, confident that "for all of these issues - gender, race, sexuality - your work is what counts. C&B is a meritocracy." Support for support Even support services get applause, a rare thing indeed in most firms. One litigator says the paralegals are "excellent," "secretarial support varies but is good overall," and "word processing and practice tech support are very good." The one thorn is the computer system, which is "not state-of-the-art and fails frequently." The firm has "not implemented document management software. The computer network, or lack of the same, is one of C&B's primary weaknesses." Some associates remain optimistic, sure that "the new CIO the firm hired a couple of months ago is definitely working this out." It's all about balance Covington associates value their working relationships, but not at the expense of their outside lives. "Many single associates spend a good bit of time socializing outside of the office while those with families tend to head home after work," says an associate. "But most associates have several good friendships with other C&B attorneys." While "social life tends to be on the slight side," as another attorney complains, "the 1999 associates seem to be a rather sociable group. I think the firm has recognized that it needs to play a role in fostering a social, warm atmosphere, so it has made some slight changes. There's still work to be done, however." Some might disagree, though, since "the firm at times can seem slightly cliquey." The firm asserts that it has been making an effort to improve its attorneys' social lives for years and that it has recently held a number of team-building retreats, dinners, and other events. Proud to be at Covington When asked, Covington associates point to their firm's antitrust, regulatory, and IP/high tech practice areas as those that set it apart from other top firms in the city. In these areas and others, "the quality of work available to young lawyers who seek it out is simply extraordinary." The quality of the firm's reputation makes its attorneys a wee bit defensive about any perceived slights to their individual characters. Its players insist that the firm is "not nearly as staid as the reputation would suggest - younger associates hang out at happy hours and weekends but also work quite hard." "Genteel and stoic," Covington & Burling "attracts very intelligent, professional, and perhaps slightly right of center but generally non-ideological attorneys," assesses one lawyer. "There is an assumption of exceptional competence and creativity."
Lorraine Brown Director of Legal Recruiting
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