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Donald J. Ridings Jr.

Partner

Washington +1 202 662 5357

English
  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Don Ridings co-chairs Covington’s Anti-Corruption, Business & Human Rights, and ESG practices.

    As co-chair of the firm’s global Anti-Corruption Practice Group, Don leads a team of compliance and investigation lawyers based in the U.S., Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. For more than 10 years, he has been recognized as a leading Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) practitioner by Chambers Global and Chambers USA.

    Don has advised clients in nearly every major industry on compliance issues arising under the FCPA and other anti-bribery regimes. He has served as outside anti-corruption counsel to dozens of Fortune 500 companies. Don advises clients on compliance risks in investment transactions, design and help implement compliance programs, and counsel clients on a broad range of anti-corruption and other compliance risks. For companies with mature compliance programs, he leads independent compliance program assessments that allow companies to benchmark their compliance programs against peer companies and regulator expectations.

    Don has led dozens of internal investigations arising from conduct in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. He represent clients before the U.S. Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission, where I have secured several non-public declinations.

    As co-chair of the firm’s Business & Human Rights and ESG practices, Don advises clients on the evolving legal regimes related to the corporate responsibility to respect human rights. He counsels clients on issues relating to supply chain due diligence and responsible sourcing, human rights due diligence in investment transactions, integrating human rights elements into existing compliance programs, NCP and other non-judicial dispute resolution processes, and responding to demands from NGOs, investors, regulators, and other stakeholders.


    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters

    Anti-Corruption and Compliance

    • Represented several companies in DOJ and SEC investigations into alleged corruption.
    • Led scores of risk assessments and developed or enhanced global anti-corruption compliance programs for companies across a range of business sectors, including agriculture, automotive, consulting, consumer products, energy, financial services, food, health care, manufacturing, medical devices, mining, pharmaceuticals, private equity, technology, telecommunications and transportation.
    • Led a 10-country anti-corruption risk assessment and compliance program assessment for a leading global consumer brand.
    • Served as anti-corruption compliance counsel to two of the world’s largest privately-held companies, and two companies in the Fortune 10.
    • Conducted anti-corruption and compliance diligence on scores of international deals, including where the target was subject to ongoing DOJ/SEC investigations into alleged bribery.
    • Led the Covington team that successfully obtained FCPA Opinion Procedure Release 10-02, which established DOJ good practices for mitigating compliance risks from donations that are coerced by foreign government officials.

    Business & Human Rights

    • Advised several clients on supply chain / responsible sourcing compliance issues, including on strategic engagement with Customs & Border Protection in connection with existing and threatened Withhold Release Orders.
    • Represented a global company in a DOJ investigation into alleged human rights violations abroad.
    • Represented clients in OECD National Contact Point disputes.

    Litigation and Arbitration

    • Represented a leading global pharmaceutical company in federal and state class actions and parallel government investigations arising from disputed sales and pricing practices.
    • Represented Kyocera Corporation in ICC arbitration, securing an unusual summary adjudication award that was confirmed and enforced by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • The George Washington University Law School, J.D., 1999
        • Highest Honors
        • Law Review
        • Order of the Coif
    • Sussex University, M.A., 1991
    • Harvard University, A.B., 1990
    Bar Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    Pro Bono
    • First chaired successful arbitration against the federal government arising out of the Department of Agriculture’s discriminatory farm credit lending practices.
    • Lead counsel representing the NAACP in two race discrimination lawsuits relating to exclusionary practices by private businesses.
    • Lead counsel in a Constitutional challenge to the medical conditions at a private prison operated under contract with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
    Accolades
    • Chambers Global, FCPA (2015-2025) 
    • Chambers USA, FCPA (2012-2024)
    Previous Experience
    • Communication and Management Trainer, Tokyo, Japan (1994-1996)
    • Legislative Aide to a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC (1991-1994)

    Areas of Expertise

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