2022 DIVERSITY DATABASE UNDERWRITER Covington & Burling

Our Survey Says

 VAULT'S VERDICT:

If you want to work at a firm with a strong pro bono commitment, you’d be hard pressed to find a better one than Covington & Burling. With uncapped pro bono hours that all count toward the billable hour requirement, associates at Covington are universal in praising their firm’s pro bono program. They describe their firm’s culture as professional and collegial, while leaning a bit toward formality and a focus on the work rather than socializing. While some associates complain of long hours, they acknowledge that these complaints likely apply more or less equally to all BigLaw firms. Relations between partners and associates are respectful and collegial, with associates saying partners respect their time and contributions. Both formal and informal training programs receive generally high marks, with both networking and sponsorship opportunities as well as the firm’s formal mentorship program being mostly praised. Covington associates report that substantive work is almost always appropriate to their level and sometimes slightly above it. Technology is one item flagged as a growth area, with complaints about the document management system and the commitment to remote and hybrid technology coming up frequently. Associates are satisfied with their compensation, reporting a market baseline with above-market bonuses available for those who exceed their billable hour targets. Associates have good things to say about the firm’s wellness offerings, although there is significant grumbling about the office work policy-Covington currently requires in-office work three days a week. As with many peer firms, Covington associates rate the diversity commitment as strong and moving in the right direction with significant work still to be done. While many associates feel that partnership may not be realistic, they are generally satisfied with the availability of counsel roles and exit opportunities into government or in-house roles.