Covington & Burling

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Covington & Burling

Covington & Burling’s distinctive mix of regulatory expertise, public policy work, white-collar investigations, and life sciences and tech specialisms gives it a genuinely unique offering. A “high-responsibility environment”, “high-quality work” and “genuinely collaborative culture” are major draws, as is the small trainee intake, which promises close working relationships and early exposure to substantive matters.

The best thing about Covington is, for many, the “friendliness within teams” and the “hands-on responsibility given to juniors”. Trainees praise the quality and variety of work, the “encouraging and helpful” teams, as well as the chance to get involved in varied and exciting pro bono matters. Standout moments include “hearing my research referenced in court”, attending court hearings and overseas arbitration proceedings, closing deals after months of work, and taking on “transaction management” and client contact at an early stage.

That responsibility, however, comes with pressure. Trainees cite long hours, a difficult work-life balance during busy periods and being “launched into matters halfway through with little context” as some of the more challenging aspects of training.

Respondents feel that there is room for improvement around consistency of workload and supervision, with some noting that training is “not always prioritised”, and that certain teams could offer better trainee support. Associate remuneration – which some consider to be ‘slightly lower than market rate ’- and international seat opportunities were also mentioned as areas where Covington could do more.

For trainees seeking intellectually demanding work, an international platform and meaningful early responsibility within a supportive environment, Covington offers a training contract with real substance.

Reflections on the transition from a trainee to a newly qualified solicitor - A journey of challenges and milestones Mimi Al Khalifa, Associate

Departments to date: Corporate

University: UCL

Degree: LLB

I am a junior associate in the corporate team at Covington & Burling, having qualified last year. Whilst I had a difficult time deciding whether I wanted to be an arbitration lawyer or a corporate one, I am now confident I have made the right decision – the fast pace of deals is exciting, and the team is very keen for you to grow. Of course, I avoid talking to any disputes lawyers for fear of feeling regret.

This past year, I have had M&A, PE, restructuring and venture capital experience, largely for technology and life sciences clients. That is quite typical for a corporate junior at Covington, who is expected to take on a breadth of matters and will not specialise until a few years have passed. The broad exposure is an element of the experience for which I am particularly grateful, as dealing with different clients on a wider range of matters broadens your skillset.

I think Covington is a wonderful place to be a junior because you get supportive partners and a lot of responsibility, which makes hard work feel rewarding. If you happen to be on a Vacation Scheme or Open Day here, please do swing by my office!

DAY IN THE LIFE OF A JUNIOR CORPORATE ASSOCIATE

7am – I check emails and provide initial responses to anything where it is necessary or helpful. As a corporate associate, you are the conduit between many parties, including specialist lawyers and clients, and it is therefore very important to constantly triage and make sure every piece of work is exactly where it needs to be. A piece of advice I got early was “it is not enough for things to be in control, you need to make people feel like you have things in control” – one easy way of doing this is by being responsive.

8am – I am in the office building, where we have a gym downstairs. I like to start my day with either a Pilates class or some other kind of movement. This is also a nice way of catching up with friends, who I victimise into joining me when I can. Today, I’ll be doing a Pilates class with friend I met at university. Her and I grab a coffee together after.

9.30am – I am at my desk preparing for an all parties status update call on an active M&A deal. I remind the partner of the status of a few items and any outstanding points we need to iron out on the call. We chat with a tax and incentives specialist here about the nature of an issue. I spend the morning dealing with this matter, with a few small pauses to address items on a venture capital investment that crop up. The call goes well and we’re making good progress.

1pm – I have lunch at my desk updating corporate templates for a pro bono client. In addition to being a good way of using your legal skills for very worthy charities or causes, pro bono work is a great way of exposing yourself to more corporate work. I am working on a template NDA, which is a basic corporate document, but I try to think about how to tailor it for what our client needs rather than an M&A deal, for example.

1:30pm – ancillary documents on a VC deal have landed. I review the disclosure letter against the disclosure bundle, marking up any points I feel are non-responsive or otherwise should change, I review the resolutions and other consents against any operative or governing documents, and send a senior associate a marked-up set of ancillaries and an email setting out my thoughts. Covington has a Monday-Thursday in office policy, so she swings by my desk to discuss various points relating to the ancillary documentation.

5:30pm: some documents have been uploaded into the data room on the M&A deal. These are corporate documents relating to a share buyback. I diligence these documents by checking that (i) the company had the requisite authority and that the buyback otherwise occurred in accordance with the Companies Act and any governing documents, and (ii) the documents appear in order.

7:30pm – I have dinner with a contact I met at a networking event. He is also at a more junior stage in his career working at a listed investor. We trade thoughts about work and movie recommendations. One thing that changes from being a trainee lawyer to an associate is the expectation that you will contribute to business development initiatives, which is an incredibly fun part of the job.

About the firm

In an increasingly regulated world, we have an exceptional ability to help clients navigate their most complex business problems, deals and disputes. From our 14 international offices we practice as one firm, holding closely to core values that start with a deep commitment to our clients and the quality of our work.

What sets us apart is our ability to combine the tremendous strength in our litigation, investigations and corporate practices with deep knowledge of policy and policymakers, and one of the world’s leading regulatory practices.

Our trainees tell us that they were attracted to Covington because we provide the responsibility and opportunity of a close-knit office, combined with the resources and prestige of a leading international firm. Above all, though, we recognise the importance of a great firm culture. At Covington you will find a firm with values of collegiality, high standards of lawyering, respect for others, a dedication to public service and a commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion. We have some of the best lawyers in the world because we understand that excellence in legal practice involves effective teamwork, clear and shared values, and generosity to colleagues and clients, as well as preeminent legal skills.

The clients: Our clients include technology giants Microsoft and Meta, and we represent leaders in life sciences including AstraZeneca and Oxford Biomedica. We have advised pharmaceutical manufacturers in relation to the manufacture and supply of Covid-19 vaccines, acted for ACWA Power on the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project in Saudi Arabia, and we engage in cutting-edge pro bono matters, such as representing Ukraine against the Russian Federation at the ICJ.

London office Managing partner:  James Halstead

Management committee chair:   Doug Gibson

Other offices: Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Washington, Brussels, Frankfurt, Dubai, Johannesburg, Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai.

Who we are:  From our offices in Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai and Washington, we practise as one firm, holding closely to core values that start with a deep commitment to our clients and the quality of our work on their behalf, and that include an emphasis on teamwork among our lawyers and other professionals and a belief in the obligation of lawyers to make legal services available to all who need them.

What we do:  Covington has an unusual combination of strengths in regulatory policy combined with high-end litigation and corporate practices. This breadth of capabilities offers unique opportunities to trainees to become involved in multi-dimensional matters across several practice areas.

What we’re looking for:  There is no set mould for a Covington trainee; our trainees are enthusiastic about the law, hardworking and keen to be part of our collaborative culture.

The candidates we choose are sharp, articulate and quick thinking. They have confidence and composure, but also honesty and humour. We look for candidates to be on track for a 2:1 degree with a strong academic record.

We also like to see:   Energy and enthusiasm; team spirit; a range of interests outside the law (extra-curricular activities, voluntary or paid work); independent thought; communication and influencing skills; commercial awareness; resolve and judgement; a creative approach to problem solving; and resilience under pressure.

What you’ll do:  As a trainee at Covington you will have early responsibility and exposure. Working within small teams and playing a significant role in complex substantive work, our trainees work closely with senior lawyers and partners and have a chance to make a real impact.

During your two years as a trainee solicitor, you will spend time in a variety of practice areas (seats).

To ensure you get the best experience from your time our professional development team will work closely with you to design a training programme which best suits your preferences (and the business needs).

As a trainee you will also have the chance to apply for an international or client secondment, which is an excellent opportunity to develop an understanding of the global nature of our work and to experience working in a different cultural environment.

Perks: Private medical insurance, fertility benefits, dental insurance, employee assistance programme, mental wellbeing platform, eye tests, flu vaccine, group income protection and life assurance schemes, season ticket loan.

Sponsorship

SQE maintenance grant up to £20,000.

Seat options

Trainees complete four six-month seats during the course of their traineeship, which consists of a transactional, disputes and regulatory seat. Client secondments are available, alongside secondments to our Brussels or Dubai offices. Our principal practice and industry groups are corporate, dispute resolution, financial services, life sciences, and technology regulatory. Core seats – corporate; dispute resolution. Electives – life sciences regulatory; life sciences transactional; employment; technology regulatory; project development and finance. Secondments – Brussels; Dubai; pro bono; and client.

Tips from the recruiter

1. Do your research: Research firms to understand their culture, values, and practice areas. Tailor your application to reflect why you are a good fit.
2. Develop commercial awareness: Stay informed about current events, particularly those affecting the legal industry.
3. Stay resilient: Rejection is a part of the process. Stay positive, learn from each experience, and keep improving your applications and interview techniques. Maintain a growth mindset.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion