LOS ANGELES/PALO ALTO/SAN FRANCISCO— The Recorder has named Covington a finalist for the Vanguard Award as part of the 2026 California Legal Awards. The Vanguard Award, presented by The Recorder, a premier California legal publication and part of ALM Media, recognizes firms that have revolutionized their business to stay one step ahead of the current and future forces shaping the legal industry. Winners will be announced at the California Legal Awards ceremony in June 2026.
Covington is being recognized for the firm's distinctive approach to partner compensation, a structural innovation that has shaped how the firm practices law, serves clients, and builds enduring relationships. Unlike the vast majority of AmLaw 100 firms, Covington does not award origination or billing credits to partners. Instead, partner compensation is determined holistically, based on a partner's overall contributions to the firm and its clients.
This model removes the incentive for partners to "own" client relationships for compensation purposes, and instead structurally encourages collaboration across practice areas and geographies. Partners are incentivized to involve the best-suited colleagues at every stage of a matter without hesitation, delay, or internal negotiation over credit. As a result, the firm staffs matters based on expertise rather than economics, improving both the quality and speed of legal advice.
Sophisticated clients recognize and value this structure. When they engage Covington, they are engaging the firm's collective expertise, judgment, and full institutional capability, with confidence that advice is shaped by what will best serve their interests rather than by internal economics. At a time when many firms are adjusting compensation systems to pursue short-term metrics, Covington's long-standing approach demonstrates that a model built on collaboration can succeed at scale when aligned with firm strategy, culture, and client needs.
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