Covington & Burling LLP |

Covington & Burling LLP was founded in Washington, DC a century ago. Today, Covington has more than 1,000 lawyers and advisers across our offices in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.

We offer services across a wide range of practice areas, advising clients on their most challenging and complex matters. Most of the work has an international element, and all our practice groups operate across borders. Our distinctively collaborative culture allows us to be truly one team globally, drawing on the diverse experience of lawyers across the firm.

At Covington, you will have an opportunity to work on cutting-edge deals for international and UK corporates such as Microsoft, Astra Zeneca and Facebook, Fortune 100 businesses and leading technology, life sciences and media companies. We have represented Facebook, Inc in its US$22 billion acquisition of WhatsApp and its US$1 billion acquisition of Instagram. We also advised Illumina on a four-year project that will map genomes for breakthroughs into cancer and rare diseases. Most recently we have advised on a deal in which Pfizer & BioNTech have agreed to work together to develop a covid-19 vaccine.

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 on work that matters.

We offer trainees the opportunity to work on complex projects for clients such as Microsoft, Astra Zeneca and Meta, and engage in cutting-edge pro bono matters. We have advised pharmaceutical manufacturers on purchase and distribution agreements relating to manufacture and supply of COVID-19 vaccines, acted for ACWA Power in relation to the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project in Saudi Arabia, and represented Ukraine against the Russian Federation at the International Court of Justice.

Tailor your application

Do your research to gain an understanding of what trainee life at Covington would be like. Attend some of our events, and search the website to gain an understanding of what makes Covington unique and why this appeals to you. We want to hear about you, so make sure to tell us about both your legal and non-legal experience and how those transferable skills would make you a great trainee at the firm.

Show us you can write like a lawyer

Demonstrate strong written communication skills throughout your application form. As a lawyer you will need to communicate complex ideas clearly and succinctly, show us that you are already developing those skills throughout your application form.

Get the basics right

Do not copy and paste from one application to the next, and make sure that you proof read your application before submission. Small spelling and grammatical mistakes can let down an otherwise strong application.

Be a team player

Our trainee intakes are small so you will play a significant role in teams from early on and will be relied upon to deliver.  Show us throughout the application process that you have the ability to work well in a team and can work towards a common goal.

Be yourself

We look for trainees who are well rounded, so don’t be afraid to let your personality and passions shine throughout the application process. Our trainees are all different, feel free to discuss your life experiences and interests to make yourself stand out.

Our Values

At Covington, we recognize the differences among us as assets and a source of strength. Covington lawyers bring a wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences to our practice, and this contributes to the firm's ability to provide excellence in the practice of law. By recruiting, retaining, developing, and promoting a widely diverse group of lawyers, we advance the interests of our clients, our practice, and our entire profession.

Billable Credit Hours

At Covington, we support and encourage all colleagues to participate in programming focused on advancing our values, including contributing to our efforts to be a diverse and inclusive firm. Associates and counsel may count up to 50 hours toward bonsu eligibility for these activities. 

Committees and Firm Resource Groups 

At Covington, we support the personal and professional development of all lawyers and business professionals. Committees in each of our Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Asia offices are focused on local and regional efforts to foster inclusion among their colleagues. 

All colleagues are invited to join Covington’s Firm Resource Groups, which support the personal and professional development of their members – lawyers and business professionals – in the legal profession. These groups focus on enhancing the workplace experience of individuals who share common backgrounds, identities, or interests. They facilitate community-building and member connections, promote firm education and awareness on the experiences of their members, and advance practices that enrich our inclusive culture.

Feedback Opportunities

Our Management Committee hosts biannual Town Hall sessions for both lawyers and business professionals to share feedback on a range of topics affecting their experience at Covington. All colleagues are also invited to complete a Firm Experience Survey, which offers a standardized opportunity to anonymously share meaningful feedback on our workplace culture. Survey responses are analyzed and used to compose a summary of themes and priorities for review and actioning by firm leadership. 

Further, Covington’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team facilitates Connection Sessions and Firm Resource Group meetings with members of the firm’s Management Committee. During the Connection Sessions, our Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer provides an update on the firm’s inclusion efforts, and attendees share feedback and suggestions. 

Inclusive Leadership Program 

We developed and implemented a leadership program to support senior leaders in addressing challenging topics more effectively within their teams. Session topics included providing feedback across differences, the importance of listening, and creating meaningful connections.

Trainee Program

Covington prioritizes the career development of its lawyers from the first day they join the firm. We offer a trainee program that provides an introduction to the firm, helping to prepare participants for success in their respective practice groups. The program includes a mix of skills programs, legal fundamentals, and resilience sessions, and offers the opportunity to work on complex projects for key clients and engage in cutting-edge pro bono matters.

We have been recognized for our efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive firm through the following awards, honors, and pledges:

• Ranked 1st among 20 firms on Law.com International’s UK A-List 
   
• Signed the Social Mobility Pledge, representing our commitment to providing outreach, access, and recruitment opportunities to promote equality of opportunity
   
• Covington’s Frankfurt office signed the Charta der Vielfalt, affirming our commitment to fostering a working environment that is free of prejudice and where all our colleagues feel valued
   

We are a founding member of the Legal Diversity & Inclusion Alliance (LDIA), a collective effort by several law firms in Belgium that supports creating a diverse and inclusive work environment by exchanging good practices on diversity and inclusion and raising awareness of non-discrimination and diversity issues