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    Global Problem Solving from Covington: Deal with Complex Problems Anywhere in the World

Jeffrey M. Davidson

Partner

San Francisco +1 415 591 7021

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Jeffrey Davidson’s trial and appellate practice focuses on high-stakes commercial and insurance coverage matters. Clients have called on him to deliver results in some of their most important disputes.

    In a recent trade secret arbitration with $1.8 billion at stake, he obtained a complete defense win on behalf of a major pharmaceutical company. In a recent insurance coverage matter on behalf of a leading corporation, he obtained a $25 million recovery after a contested arbitration hearing. In a third recent matter, he obtained summary adjudication against four insurance companies in a $100-million coverage dispute. Jeff also litigated one of the foundational cases on the foreign application of U.S. antitrust law, obtaining a ruling eliminating a $3.5 billion claim shortly before trial.

    Jeff also led a cross-office Covington team representing the University of California in its landmark challenge to the government’s rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, obtained a nationwide injunction reinstating DACA, and successfully defended the injunction on appeal. In Regents of the University of California v. Department of Homeland Security, the Supreme Court agreed that the rescission was improper and set it aside.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Representing leading company in pursuing coverage for hundreds of millions in third-party claims arising from use of insured’s product, including $25 million from a contested arbitration hearing. 
    • Represented leading pharmaceutical company in a trade secret arbitration, obtaining complete defense victory against plaintiff’s demands totaling more than $1.8 billion.
    • Represented managed care provider in $100 million insurance recovery action under errors and omissions policies. Obtained reversal on appeal of adverse trial court ruling, and subsequently obtained summary adjudication against insurers.
    • Representing international trading firm in defending allegations of anticompetitive and manipulative conduct in the California gasoline spot market.
    • Representing a leading electronics manufacturer in a consolidated set of antitrust and deceptive practices class actions involving liquid crystal displays used in televisions, monitors, and other products. Obtained summary judgment for defendants and dismissal of $3.5 billion in damages claims, in a decision affirmed on appeal.

    • Represented pharmaceutical company in patent litigation, obtaining reversal on appeal of adverse trial verdict after replacing prior counsel.
    • Representing international airline in defending class-action antitrust litigation. Negotiated settlement for far less than comparably situated defendants.
    • Obtained full payment on intellectual property policy issued to leading private technology company.
    • Represented national sports league in seeking recovery for expenses incurred in underlying multi-district tort litigation.
    • Represented mining company on open pit mining first-party property and business interruption loss, resulting in a favorable settlement with reinsurers.
    • Successfully represented policyholder in obtaining insurance recovery for hundreds of millions in asbestos claims.
    • Successfully represented policyholder in recovering insurance for loss arising out of large rail accident.
    • Represented multiple policyholders in claims, litigation, and settlement in UK solvent schemes of arrangement.
    • Represented social media company in patent litigation involving web-accessible databases, obtaining complete victory in the trial court and on appeal.
    • Represented network backbone provider in patent infringement litigation, obtaining favorable outcome at trial and on appeal.
    • Represented ExxonMobil in successfully seeking to overturn multi-billion dollar punitive damages award on appeal.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Yale Law School, J.D., 2006
        • Yale Journal on Regulation, Executive Editor
    • Stanford University, M.A., 2003
    • Stanford University, B.A., 2003
        • with distinction
        • Phi Beta Kappa
    Bar Admissions
    • California
    • District of Columbia
    Judicial Clerkship
    • Hon. Paul V. Niemeyer, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 2006 - 2007
    Pro Bono
    • Leading challenge to the administration’s rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, obtaining a preliminary injunction reinstating DACA. Successfully defended the injunction before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
    • First-chaired trial defense of accused individual client, obtaining judgment of acquittal.
    • Represented current and former inmates in an appeal to the Third Circuit in a civil matter involving exposure to silica in the prison workplace.
    • Representing inmate in federal civil rights litigation to redress brutality by prison guards.
    Accolades
    • Recognized as a "California Lawyer Attorney of the Year" by the Daily Journal (2018). 
    • Named one of California’s top "40 Under 40" attorneys by the Daily Journal (2018). 
    • Named “Litigator of the Week” by American Lawyer (1/12/2017) 
    • Named by the San Francisco Business Times to its "40 Under 40" list.
    • Named "Top Attorney Under 40 - Rising Star" in Competition Law by Law360.
    • Result in antitrust case named “Litigation of the Year - Cartel Defence” by Global Competition Review.
    • Representation featured in National Law Journal’s "Pro Bono Hot List."
    • Named 2012-2017 “Rising Star” by Northern California Super Lawyers.
    • Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution - Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action (2017) and Insurance - Advice to Policyholders (2016)

    Areas of Expertise

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