Covington & Burling LLP | Practices, Industries & Regions

Covington has unsurpassed expertise in handing large, complex, and highly sensitive internal investigations. We have extensive experience conducting all types of internal investigations including investigations for major companies, for special committees of independent directors, and for special litigation committees. Covington has led internal investigations into some of the most significant and high-profile corporate scandals of recent years, including those involving Adelphia Communications Corporation and Tyco International, Ltd. While Covington is equipped to perform large investigations on a global scale, we handle more focused, rapid reviews and smaller scale investigations as well.

Internal investigations often grow out of situations in which clients are confronted with an array of legal and non-legal challenges including potential criminal prosecution, SEC enforcement actions, regulatory compliance issues, related civil litigation such as derivative lawsuits or class actions, complicated privilege issues, corporate governance concerns, congressional scrutiny, and media/public relations issues. Our lawyers who practice in the area of internal investigations possess a breadth of skills and experience that allow us to provide our clients with multidisciplinary approaches to the problems that they confront. Covington’s investigations are led by lawyers with impressive prosecutorial, regulatory, and other government experience. Our lawyers include a former Deputy Attorney General of the United States, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and D.C. Superior Court Judge; a former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; a former Associate U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York; a former Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, a former Special Counsel to President Clinton; a former Associate Counsel to President Clinton; two former Deputy Associate Attorneys General in the Department of Justice; and a former Director of the Division of Corporation Finance at the SEC. Covington also brings to bear lawyers with vast Congressional and agency experience, as well as expertise in crisis management and public relations.

Representative Matters

Represented the Special Committee of the Board of Adelphia Communications Corporation regarding issues of corporate fraud being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and the SEC.
Represented the Special Committee of the Board of Tyco International, Ltd. regarding issues of corporate looting and accounting improprieties.
Represented the District of Columbia Water & Sewer Authority (WASA) regarding its response to elevated levels of lead in the District’s drinking water.
Assisting the World Bank's Department of Institutional Integrity with respect to an inquiry into allegations of corruption and possible failures of management in connection with a major African aid program.
Represent a Special Committee of the Board of a major biopharmaceutical company being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the SEC regarding stock options timing issues.
Represented special committees of the boards of Fortune 500 companies regarding insider trading investigations.