Covington & Burling LLP
Overview
Covington & Burling is a global, US-headquartered law firm known for its strengths at the intersection of law and public policy. The firm emphasises regulatory, public policy and investigations work alongside corporate, litigation and technology practices, and combines former government officials and policy specialists with transactional and litigation lawyers. Covington markets a strong cross‑disciplinary offering (including large ESG and sustainability, government contracts, white collar and regulatory teams) and positions itself as a client partner for complex, cross‑border matters and high‑stakes investigations. The firm highlights scale and reach — 14 offices on four continents and a broad international platform — alongside a long pro bono tradition.
- Headquarters: Washington, DC, One CityCenter
- Founded: 1919
- Lawyers: 1,400+ lawyers and advisors worldwide
- Offices: 14
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Corporate & M&A
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Intellectual Property
- International Arbitration
- Employment
- ESG & Sustainability
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Financial Services & Regulation
- White Collar Crime
- Competition & Antitrust
- Technology & Digital
- Capital Markets
- Infrastructure & Projects
- Real Estate
- Tax
- Pensions
- Media & Entertainment
Geographic Focus: Covington operates from a US headquarters with an international platform focused on cross‑border regulatory, transactional and disputes work. Key markets include North America (multiple US offices), Europe (London, Brussels, Frankfurt), Asia (Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul) the Middle East (Dubai) and Africa (Johannesburg). The firm positions itself to serve clients confronting regulatory, public policy and government‑relations issues across jurisdictions and to link US regulatory expertise with local
Training Contract
- Starting Salary: £60,000 (Year 1); £65,000 (Year 2)
- NQ Salary: £165,000 (starting salary upon qualification, London)
- Academic Requirements: Vacation scheme eligibility: final year of a non‑law degree or penultimate year of a law degree; applications are also welcomed from graduates and career changers. CovInsights is aimed at first‑year law students and second‑year non‑law students.
- Application Deadline: 16 January 2026
Sponsorship
Comprehensive financial support for the Law Foundations Course (PGDL) with a maintenance grant of up to £15,000; SQE tuition fees and a maintenance grant of up to £20,000 (London).
SQE Support
SQE tuition fees and a maintenance grant of up to £20,000 (London programme page states the firm covers SQE tuition fees and offers a maintenance grant of up to £20,000).
Mentorship
Summer associates are assigned both a senior and a junior mentor to facilitate introduction, advise on assignments and provide insight into firm life. Trainees are invited to regular office social events and benefit from partner and associate feedback; the London programme references dedicated trainee social budgets.
Programmes & Schemes
Two‑day interactive programme aimed at first‑year law students and second‑year non‑law students. The programme provides an introduction to key practice areas, includes a group exercise, an application skills workshop and networking with trainees, associates and partners. It is designed for candidates who are not yet eligible to apply for vacation schemes.
- Duration: 2 days
- Deadline: 2027-03-12
Two‑week Winter Vacation Scheme integrating students into the London office with presentations from practice groups and international offices, a group activity, networking with trainees/associates/partners, an independent research project and social events. Successful attendees are assessed for Training Contracts/Qualifying Work Experience.
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Deadline: 2026-10-23
Two‑week Summer Vacation Scheme offering integration into the London office with practice presentations, a group activity, networking, an independent research project and social events. Vacation scheme attendees are interviewed and assessed for Training Contracts/QWE; Covington recruits trainees exclusively through its vacation schemes.
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Deadline: 2027-01-15
US Summer Associate programme that matches assignments to each summer associate’s interests, provides both senior and junior mentors, constructive feedback, substantive assignments across practice groups and a range of professional development and social activities.
Notable Matters
Covington advised Adiuva Capital on the sale of the NTA Group to Deutsche Private Equity. The firm acted on the transactional aspects of the disposal (corporate/M&A advisory).
Corporate & M&A
Covington secured emergency relief (a temporary restraining order) restoring Ready Makers Inc.’s access to infrastructure (including GitHub, AWS accounts and web domains) after filing for emergency review; the court ordered restoration of access and Covington led the urgent litigation effort.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
A Covington pro bono team represented 'Ms. E' and her daughter in defensive asylum proceedings in US Immigration Court; after presenting evidence, the immigration judge granted asylum. The work was recognised by Sanctuary for Families at its Above & Beyond Pro Bono Awards.
Immigration
Covington has provided pro bono representation to organisations (including Grand Staircase Escalante Partners and the Conservation Lands Foundation) working to protect public lands and conservation interests, advising on litigation and policy strategies to preserve iconic public lands.
Environment & Planning
What Covington & Burling LLP Looks For
Key Competencies
- Commercial awareness
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Academic excellence and intellectual rigour
- Interest in regulatory, public policy or government affairs
- Commitment to public service / pro bono
- Resilience and adaptability
- Strong written and oral advocacy skills
- Interest or technical background for technology and IP work
Evidence Signals
- Relevant pro bono or public‑interest experience
- Internships or placements with government, regulators or policy organisations
- Commercial internships or in‑house experience demonstrating commercial awareness
- Technical or STEM backgrounds (for technology/digital seats)
- Participation in insight days, vacation schemes or the CovInsights programme
- Demonstrable teamwork in group projects and strong examples of collaboration
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Trainee salary: £60,000 (Year 1) and £65,000 (Year 2) (London)
- Newly qualified (NQ) starting salary: £165,000 (London)
- PGDL maintenance grant up to £15,000
- SQE tuition fees and maintenance grant up to £20,000
- Private medical insurance (London and other offices)
- Dental insurance
- Vision / eye tests
- Group personal pension plan (firm contributes 3% and offers matched contribution up to 5%)
- Short‑term disability benefits (where applicable)
- Life assurance and group income protection
- Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Well‑Being App
- Emergency Back‑Up Child and Adult Care through Bright Horizons (London and other offices)
- Childcare voucher scheme (London)
- Interest‑free season ticket loans
- Season ticket loans
- Business Travel Accident coverage
- Dedicated trainee social budget and invitations to office social events and sports activities
- Bar stipend for associates who take a bar exam before joining (US)
- Relocation expenses (depending on distance of move)
- Breast milk shipping service (US)
- Scholarship programme for non‑legal staff in certain offices
- Priority access to affiliated day care (Washington office)
- Emergency travel assistance benefits for business and leisure travel
- Corporate discount programme and other local office perks
Wellbeing
Firm‑wide mental‑wellbeing resources including an Employee Assistance Programme and a Mental Well‑Being App; employee wellness incentives in some jurisdictions; emergency back‑up child and adult care; counseling, resources and referral services through EAP; office wellness campaigns.
Awards & Recognition
- 20 Times Named to The American Lawyer's "A‑List"
- Law360 Practice Group of the Year — White Collar (2025, 2024; earlier years listed on site)
- Chambers USA: Corporate Crime & Investigations, False Claims Act, Government Contracts – Band 1 (Chambers listings referenced)
- Global Investigations Review (GIR) 30: World’s Leading Investigation Firms (2016‑2024 listings referenced)
- Recognised on several Chambers and Legal 500 practice rankings (multiple jurisdictions and years)
- The National Law Journal Intellectual Property Hot List (2016)
- Mansfield Certification Plus (eighth consecutive year referenced)
- Recognitions in FT Innovative Lawyers (individual shortlisted)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Mansfield Certification Plus (repeat certification); public commitments to inclusive recruitment and development programmes; signatory to professional well‑being and inclusion pledges in certain jurisdictions (e.g., American Bar Association Well‑Being Pledge noted for US offices).
- Mansfield Certification Plus (firm achievement referenced)
- Veterans Affinity Group
- Urban Lawyers Insight Day (London Diversity Committee programme)
- Partnerships with IntoUniversity (social mobility work)
- Citizenship Day training events in partnership with APALRC and Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Affinity groups and internal inclusion committees (multiple office initiatives referenced)
- Speaker programmes and panel participation on diversity topics (e.g., Women of Color, MENALSA events)
Pro Bono
Covington reported 231,000+ pro bono hours provided in 2025. The firm has repeatedly ranked highly in pro bono surveys (including top positions in The American Lawyer Pro Bono Survey) and undertakes a wide range of pro bono matters: asylum and immigration work, veterans appeals, environmental and conservation matters, access to renewable energy in developing nations, and legal support for organisations such as the Coalition of Rainforest Nations, The Nature Conservancy, SolarAid and the European Cyclists’ Federation.
Innovation
Covington publishes toolkits and hubs (for example an Artificial Intelligence Toolkit and a Datacenter Insights Hub) to support client advisory and internal capability building. The firm runs multidisciplinary initiatives linking legal, regulatory and technical expertise (particularly within its sustainability/ESG and technology practices) and highlights innovative practitioner recognition in external awards.
- Artificial Intelligence Toolkit (resource)
- Datacenter Insights Hub
- Video/education series such as 'Code to Contract' and specialist multimedia resources
- Cross‑disciplinary sustainability solutions team (100+ lawyers) deploying digital and data analysis in ESG work
Quick Application Angles
- Emphasise interest in regulatory and public policy issues — the firm is differentiated by its strength where law meets policy (cite its regulatory/public policy and government contracts capability).
- Highlight commercial awareness on ESG and sustainability: reference Covington’s cross‑disciplinary sustainability team and SBTi commitments where relevant in applications or interviews.
- Show tangible pro bono commitment or experience — Covington places visible weight on pro bono and public‑interest work (the firm reported 231,000+ pro bono hours in 2025 and recent asylum and conservation matters).
- If applying for technology or IP roles, demonstrate technical literacy or relevant sector knowledge (digital transactions teams routinely incorporate technical backgrounds such as computer science, engineering or data analytics).
- For early‑career applicants, participate in CovInsights or a vacation scheme (the firm recruits trainees exclusively through its vacation schemes) and use those experiences to reference real interactions with partners and practice groups.
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