Brett S. Covington - Washington, DC

Brett S. Covington practices in the Firm’s Complex Litigation, Toxic Torts & Products Liability, and Investigation/White Collar practice groups. His experience spans all phases of litigation leading up to trial, which include successfully defending clients in both federal district court and on appeal. Throughout his career, Mr. Covington has developed and implemented strategies to ensure clients’ cases are heard in appropriate venues in federal court, coordinated corporate document collection and production, assisted in the preparation and defense of corporate representatives’ depositions, deposed plaintiffs and fact witnesses, and drafted motions on critical discovery, evidentiary, and dispositive issues. Mr. Covington has also served as second-chair in four hearings before the American Arbitration Association—all of which resulted in client victories.

In addition to his commercial litigation experience, which includes successfully defending a telecommunications brokerage firm against a $30 million breach of contract lawsuit in federal court, Mr. Covington has represented clients under both criminal and civil investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. This includes successfully defending an energy company under investigation for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act, which resulted in the government deciding not to pursue felony criminal charges against the client. He has also represented a healthcare client under investigation for alleged violations of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute, where he made multiple defense presentations to both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Main Justice.

Following graduation from Georgetown University Law Center, Mr. Covington completed a two-year clerkship with U.S. District Court Judge Thomas W. Phillips at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. As a law clerk, he worked on a wide range of civil and criminal matters, including drafting court decisions on matters such as product liability actions, insurance coverage disputes, qui tam actions under the False Claims Act, employment discrimination lawsuits, sentencing hearings, and criminal trials.

Mr. Covington serves on the Board of Directors of Arlington-based Offender Aid Restoration ("OAR"), a restorative justice organization providing second chances to prisoners and ex-offenders through guidance and support services to help them lead productive and responsible lives. As part of his regular participation in the Firm's pro bono program, he previously served as OAR’s pro bono outside counsel. While in law school, Mr. Covington served as the Executive Editor of The Georgetown Immigration Law Journal. He also served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Lee H. Rosenthal at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston.

Mr. Covington is conversational in French, having grown up at NATO Military headquarters in SHAPE, Belgium.