Covington grabs partner from Sidley to grow NorCal offices

Tom DeFilipps and Doug Gibson are quoted in a Daily Journal article regarding DeFilipps’ move to Covington’s Silicon Valley office. Commenting on the draw to Covington DeFilipps says, “One of the more compelling aspects of the Covington platforms is the way it allows you to meld the strength of its regulatory practice in D.C. and non-U.S. jurisdictions, like Brussels and Beijing and in Asia generally, with the needs of growing technology companies and larger tech companies that are looking to invest in those companies.”

DeFilipps adds that he is excited for the challenge of building the practice and that his new firm’s regulatory chops, particularly in areas like life sciences, will be a major asset for the technology and startup companies on which he primarily focuses. His goal is to expand the corporate practice into a group that can “compete with best corporate practices that are already in existence on the West Coast.”

According to Gibson, DeFilipps will be a key piece in building the corporate practice, particularly in Northern California. “We do some venture work, particularly in the life sciences area, and some targeted work for Chinese companies entering into the U.S. market. We also have venture work in New York, but he’s going to be a significant addition for our practice and we’re looking to build it further in Silicon Valley.”