Covington & Burling LLP

Part of the Powerbase Brexit Portal.

This article is part of the Revolving Door project of Spinwatch.

Covington & Burling LLP is a US law and lobbying firm.

Founded in 1919, today it has offices in the US, UK, Brussels, Dubai, China, South Korea, South Africa.

Lobbying

Covington & Burling says its public policy and government affairs team employs 'more than 120 former government officials, diplomats, and regulators'. Its website lists a number of 'case studies' of work carried out by the team, including work for 'a global chemical company' facing a World Health Organization (WHO) classification of one of its key products as “probably carcinogenic,” but which other national regulatory bodies 'found to be safe'. Covington was asked to help 'develop a strategy to seek a public clarification from' the WHO.

US lobbying

As of November, Covington and Burling's total lobbying income in 2017 was $13m.

Its US lobbying clients include in 2017 (for a full list, see the Open Secrets website Qualcomm | Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America | Northrop Grumman | Wal-Mart | Celgene Corp | Microsoft | Bombardier | Consumer Healthcare Products Association | Eli Lilly | BAE Systems | BP | Johnson & Johnson | Wells Fargo | Merck | American Bankers Association

Brexit lobbying

In 2017 Covington & Burling set up a Brexit Task Force staffed by lawyers and advisors in London, Brussels, and Washington.

It says it is monitoring events for clients and advising them on the policy and regulatory impact and implications of Brexit, including around: employment and Immigration, data protection, and international trade.

Political ties

UK political links

• Francis Maude: In October 2016, former government minister Francis Maude was taken on as a senior adviser. A spokesperson for Covington said that Maude 'will be assisting the firm and its clients as they navigate complexities around Brexit'. Maude's profile on Covington's website says: 'Lord Maude forms part of a key panel of senior advisors guiding clients through the evolving post-Brexit vote landscape.'
• Sir Michael Leigh, became a senior advisor to the firm in Sept 2017; formerly Director-General of DG Enlargement at the European Commission from 2006 to 2011.

Other European political links

• Carl Bildt: in May 2016, Covington and Burling anounced that Bildt, the former Prime Minister of Sweden, had joined the firm as a Senior Policy Advisor in its global Public Policy and Government Affairs practice. Most recently, Mr. Bildt served as Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs between 2006 and 2014.
• Peter Balás, senior advisor; Balas was recently Deputy Director General, DG Trade to the European Commission (2005-2014) and Head of the Support Group for the Ukraine in the European Commission (2014-2015); and before that Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Hungary to the World Trade Organisation.
• Jean De Ruyt, senior advisor; described as 'among the most experienced diplomats in Europe', De Ruyt was Permanent Representative of Belgium to the European Union and was chair of the Committee of Permanent Representatives during the 2010 Belgian Presidency of the Council.
• Karel Kovanda, senior advisor; former diplomat who worked as Deputy Director-General of Relex (now the European External Action Service) in the European Commission.
• Erika Mann, Senior Advisor; former Member of the European Parliament (MEP).

Contact

• Address: 265 Strand, London, Greater London, UK, WC2R 1BH.
• Telephone: (020) 7067 2000
• E-mail: graduate@cov.com
• Website: www.cov.com