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Nikhil V. Gore

Partner

Washington +1 202 662 5918

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Nikhil V. Gore is a partner in Covington’s financial services and arbitration practices, representing sovereigns, financial institutions, and global corporations in civil and criminal investigations, as well as cross-border arbitrations and disputes.

    In his financial services investigations and enforcement practice, Nikhil leads anti-financial crime investigations, as well as a wide range of financial institution governance, control, safety and soundness, and consumer and market conduct matters. He was lead counsel for a global bank in its recent trade surveillance resolutions with U.S. bank regulators, represented another global financial institution in successfully navigating multi-year criminal and civil investigations concerning an alleged corruption scheme in Asia, and has represented regional and community banks across the country in contesting and negotiating supervisory and enforcement outcomes before the OCC, Federal Reserve, and FDIC. He also counsels clients on BSA/AML regulations, and the structure and functioning of their control, compliance, and audit frameworks.

    In his disputes practice, Nikhil is part of the Covington team representing Ukraine in state-to-state arbitrations against the Russian Federation and was appointed by the Prosecutor-General of Ukraine to the Legal Task Force on Accountability for Russian War Crimes. He regularly handles treaty arbitrations and commercial disputes spanning Asia, Eastern Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters

    Financial Institutions

    • Represent banks, private equity firms and technology firms in financial crime risk assessments, design and evaluation of compliance and control frameworks, and legal and reputational reviews of significant transactions.
    • Represented a global financial institution in a multi-year financial crime investigation, and in securing a related declination.
    • Advised a major national bank in responding to multiple bank regulatory compliance inquiries, none of which resulted in formal enforcement action.
    • Lead counsel for a major financial institution in its trade surveillance resolutions with U.S. bank regulators. 
    • Represented multiple financial technology (fintech) partner banks in supervisory, pre-enforcement and enforcement matters before all three federal prudential regulators.
    • Represented two depository institutions in appeals before the FDIC Supervision Appeals Review Committee and a third institution in an appeal before the OCC’s Ombudsman. 
    • Represented a large national bank in resolving a significant OCC enforcement matter related to its trust and fiduciary businesses.
    • Represent a global technology company in anti-money laundering and payments matters.

    International Arbitration

    • Represent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in Ukraine v. Russia, PCA Case No. 2017-06, and Case Concerning the Detention of Three Ukrainian Naval Vessels, ITLOS Case No. 26.
    • Represented JSC DTEK Krymenergo in obtaining a US$270 million award against the Russian Federation for the expropriation of the Crimean electric grid.
    • Represented the flag carrier of an Asian country in defeating an emergency arbitration claim, resulting in total abandonment of the opponent’s merits claim. 
    • Represented a large, Asian electronics company in a commercial dispute with a U.S. vendor.
    • Represented a major natural resource company in successfully resolving an investment dispute with an African state.
    • Advised a specialist engineering firm on determining and negotiating its contractual rights and obligations after performance was disrupted by armed conflict.
    • Obtained a successful settlement for individual U.S. real estate investors pursuant to a U.S. investment treaty.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Harvard Law School, J.D., 2011
        • magna cum laude
        • Harvard Environmental Law Review, Senior Editor
        • Harvard Human Rights Journal, Executive Articles Editor
    • Dartmouth College, A.B., 2006
        • magna cum laude
    Bar Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    • Massachusetts
    • New York
    Judicial Clerkship
    • Hon. Barbara A. Lenk, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 2011 - 2012
    Pro Bono
    • Nikhil maintains an active pro bono practice focused on indigent criminal defense in the United States, as well as global fair trial safeguards under international human rights law.
    Accolades
    • Washington Business Journal’s, 40 Under 40 (2025)
    • Law360, International Arbitration "Rising Star" (2024)
    • Chambers USA, Financial Services Regulation: Banking (Enforcement & Investigations) (2025), "Up and Coming" (2024)
    • Washington DC Super Lawyers, International "Rising Star" (2018-2021)
    Memberships and Affiliations
    • Professorial Lecturer in Law (International Arbitration), George Washington University Law School
    • Member and Co-Chair, Dispute Resolution Interest Group, American Society of International Law
    Previous Experience
    • National Serviceman, Singapore Armed Forces (2006-2008)

    Areas of Expertise

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