Law360 reported that Covington has added Devin DeBacker as a partner, bringing to the firm a former senior Department of Justice and White House official with extensive experience in national security, foreign investment, and regulatory review. Devin previously served as chief of the Foreign Investment Review Section within DOJ’s National Security Division, where he led the department’s participation in CFIUS, Team Telecom, and other national security matters.
"From inside the government, I saw the difference that first-class lawyering could make in addressing and resolving the U.S. government's national security interests in a way that also is commercially workable," Devin said. "This is not always intuitive. The government and the private sector can approach national security issues from very different perspectives, akin to speaking different languages. Helping to bridge this gap is what interests me in private practice, and I was drawn to Covington specifically because it gets this dynamic and has a long-term commitment to having world-class CFIUS and national security practices."
Devin added that he looks forward to helping clients by drawing on his senior national security experience at the White House and DOJ, which includes firsthand experience with the personnel, policy and process dynamics that shape the regulatory landscape.
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