WASHINGTON—Former Chief of the Foreign Investment Review Section (FIRS) in the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division Devin DeBacker has joined Covington as partner in the firm’s CFIUS practice, resident in the Washington office. In addition to serving as chief of FIRS, Devin held senior roles at DOJ and the White House across three Presidential administrations with responsibility for a broad range of investment, trade, technology, and national security matters.
David Fagan, co-chair of Covington’s CFIUS practice, said: “Devin has been at the forefront of national security matters across multiple administrations. His leadership role on CFIUS and Team Telecom, designing and implementing new authorities such as the Department of Justice Data Security Program, and on broader inter-agency matters will be an invaluable asset to clients as they navigate the intersection of national security, geopolitical risk, regulatory oversight, and commercial transactions.”
Devin served as Chief of FIRS for four years, from January 2022 through March 2026, spanning the Biden and Trump Administrations. In this capacity, Devin was the senior career executive official responsible for DOJ’s input and participation in CFIUS, Team Telecom, and other related national security and transactional matters. He also led the development and implementation of the DOJ’s Data Security Program (DSP) and worked closely with other agencies in the development and implementation of emerging national security authorities such as outbound investment and supply chain regulation. At the beginning of the second Trump Administration, Devin served as the interim head of the National Security Division – the highest-ranking national security official in DOJ – as part of the landing team at the incoming political leadership’s request.
Before serving as Chief of FIRS, Devin was a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) in the DOJ, where he had broad remit advising on critical legal issues including national security and economic and trade sanctions. Prior to Devin’s DOJ tenure, he served in the Office of the White House Counsel from April 2019 to August 2020. As Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the President, Devin was the White House’s day-to-day legal advisor on economic national security and international trade, with responsibility for a broad range of transactional and regulatory issues at the intersection of business, national security, investment, trade, and technology.
Devin added, “Covington is the premier destination firm for the most complex national security matters, including in the context of global M&A deals. National security is increasingly driving cross-border and domestic regulation, geopolitical considerations, and industrial policy. Covington excels at bridging the government’s considerations with core commercial client interests, and helping clients navigate the thorniest transactions that intersect with geopolitical risk. I am thrilled to be a part of this world-class team and the firm’s sustained commitment to this practice area.”
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