Covington & Burling LLP - The Who's Who Legal 100 2012

What is the Who's Who Legal 100?

Covington has an exceptionally strong life sciences team, 19 of whom are recognised in the corresponding chapter. The firm provides a full range of transactional and advisory services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, veterinary and agricultural companies in the United States and abroad. Clients have included GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson and Merck, and Covington also represents the leading trade associations for this sector. The Washington, DC, office fields 10 nominees. John Hurvitz co-chairs Covington’s life sciences industry group and also heads the firm’s technology transactions group. Sources describe him as “extremely knowledgeable and highly respected in the industry”. The “excellent” George Pappas has served as lead counsel in more than 350 cases while Erika Lietzan specialises in US and ex-US regulation of drugs and biological products and is a “prolific author” on these topics. Ethan Posner is co-chair of the firm’s pharmaceutical litigation and investigations group and represented Gilead Sciences in its successful defence of a Justice Department investigation concerning the marketing and promotion of several prescription drugs. Ellen Flannery is co-chair of the food and drug law group and “a top litigator”, according to one source.

James Beery is senior of counsel to the firm and one of five listed lawyers from the London office. He focuses on the corporate, commercial and regulatory issues facing pharmaceutical and other life sciences companies and is a former general counsel of GlaxoSmithKline. Respondents to our survey commented on the “detailed market insight” that his in-house experience brings to his practice. Grant Castle, also of the London office, has “a first-rate understanding of what matters to clients”, making him “a fantastic lawyer”. James Snipes is a partner in the San Francisco office and is a “standout” practitioner in that jurisdiction. David Hull is one of a trio of lawyers listed from the Brussels office. He has advised Procter & Gamble, among others, on the European component of their global in-licensing and co-development transactions and is also listed for his competition expertise.

Seven Covington lawyers feature in the competition chapter. Deborah Garza practises from the Washington, DC, office and is co-chair of the firm’s antitrust and consumer law practice group. She has been involved in some of the largest antitrust matters in the last 30 years, including the merger of Exxon and Mobil and the US government’s suit against Microsoft, and is considered by our sources to be “the cream of the crop”. “Senior statesman” Alan Wiseman represents clients in mergers and acquisitions and antitrust grand jury investigations, as well as cross-border investigations. Damien Geradin, a partner in the Brussels office, is “utterly brilliant” while Thomas Barnett of the same office impresses peers with his “very sound judgement”.

Six lawyers are listed for their outstanding insurance practices. Marialuisa Gallozzi has represented policyholders for over 20 years. She has extensive experience representing and advising companies on insurance coverage for high-profile recall matters involving foods, drugs and medical devices, and is a “first-rate negotiator”. Mitchell Dolin chairs the firm’s global insurance recovery practice and has “unparalleled expertise” in this sector. David Goodwin is a partner in the San Francisco office and has more than 25 years of experience representing corporate policyholders in insurance coverage disputes and litigation, making him a “skilled and experienced litigator”.

Jason Raofield is one of four lawyers included in the business crime defence chapter. He has represented Schering-Plough in a federal securities fraud class action and was described to researchers as “a class act”. “Superb” New York lawyer Alan Vinegrad represented Adelphia Communications Corporation in its defence of the federal criminal investigation, SEC enforcement action and threatened forfeiture actions arising out of wrongdoing by members of the Rigas family.

The successful representation of the Kingdom of Norway in arbitration proceedings catapulted Covington into law firm royalty over 80 years ago, and its arbitration group remains strong today. Four lawyers are listed for their expertise in this sector, including London’s “phenomenal” Stephen Bond. His experience includes disputes in the energy, international joint venture, construction, technology, sales and distribution fields and he is “revered” by many of the lawyers we spoke to. Oscar Garibaldi acted as lead counsel to the claimants in Tidewater et al v Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and also serves as an arbitrator. Peers praised his “ability to make sense of the most complex matters”.

Theodore Garrett chairs Covington’s environmental practice group and is named our Environment Lawyer of the Year. He has served as counsel in more than 50 reported cases and has been extensively involved in both federal and state environmental and natural resource matters. His illustrious client list includes Procter & Gamble, American Chemistry Council, Dow Chemical and General Motors. Peers admire his “unswerving commitment to clients” and “incredibly detailed knowledge”.

Nineteen additional listings in 11 other practice areas secure Covington & Burling’s reputation as an exceptional full-service firm.