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David Zionts is a Washington-based litigator. His practice focuses on appellate litigation, as well as questions of international law and other transnational legal issues that arise in both U.S. and international tribunals.
Mr. Zionts has extensive experience representing clients in complex, high-stakes appeals in federal and state appellate courts. He has authored numerous briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court on a wide range of issues, including administrative law, constitutional law, class actions, health care, the False Claims Act, and ERISA.
Drawing on his experience at the State Department and expertise in public international law, Mr. Zionts also represents both foreign sovereign and private clients on international legal matters. In addition to his international arbitration practice, Mr. Zionts has litigated transnational legal disputes in U.S. courts concerning the Alien Tort Statute, the Anti-Terrorism Act, and foreign expropriations of valuable trademarks.
Before joining the firm, he was a law clerk to Justice Stephen G. Breyer of the U.S. Supreme Court, and to Judge Merrick B. Garland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
- Successfully represented Fifth Third Bancorp in the Supreme Court, which vacated an adverse decision against the bank and adopted requirements for plaintiffs attempting to sue fiduciaries of Employee Stock Ownership Plans under ERISA.
- Successfully represented the American Bankers Association in emergency challenge to Volcker Rule provision of Dodd-Frank Act brought in federal district court and D.C. Circuit.
- Representing Bacardi in litigation in U.S. district court concerning rights to the HAVANA CLUB trademark.
- Representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on public international law matters, including an arbitration against the Russian Federation under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Pro Bono
- Representing at the Supreme Court individuals who were detained in harsh conditions after 9/11 without individualized suspicion of involvement in terrorism.
- Won a significant victory for a class of Central American asylum-seekers in family detention enjoining the Department of Homeland Security’s policy of denying release for reasons of deterrence.
Memberships and Affiliations
- Edward Coke Appellate Inn of Court
Previous Experience
- U.S. Department of State, Special Advisor to the Legal Adviser (2011-2012)
August 3, 2020
WASHINGTON —The National Law Journal has named Covington partner David Zionts a “DC Rising Star,” recognizing him as one of the “region’s 40 most promising lawyers age 40 and under.” In his profile, Mr. Zionts described his biggest win from his career, saying, “I’m proud of many victories in my appellate practice, but the win that stands out the most came at the ...
Covington Represents Ukraine in Securing Favorable Ruling Under U.N. Law of the Sea Convention
February 21, 2020
WASHINGTON—Covington secured a major ruling for Ukraine in an arbitration against the Russian Federation under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The ruling, issued today by a five-member arbitral tribunal, rejected the majority of Russia’s jurisdictional objections and permits Ukraine’s case to proceed to the merits. “The Tribunal’s ...
Covington Secures Decisive Victory For Ukraine Before the International Court of Justice
November 8, 2019
WASHINGTON—Covington has secured a decisive win for Ukraine in proceedings against the Russian Federation before the International Court of Justice (“ICJ”) concerning violations by Russia of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (“ICSFT”) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial ...
October 25, 2019
WASHINGTON—The National Law Journal has named Covington to its “Appellate Hot List” for the eighth time. Lawyers and law firms featured in the annual special report were recognized for winning “key matters before the U.S. Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals.” Over the past two years, lawyers in Covington’s Appellate and Supreme Court practice ...
September 9, 2019
WASHINGTON, September 9, 2019—Law360 named Covington partners Andrew Soukup and David Zionts to its list of “2019 Rising Stars.” This annual recognition honors top lawyers under 40 “whose legal accomplishments transcend their age.” Mr. Soukup's Law360 Class Action profile can be found here. Andrew Soukup is a litigator and co-chair of the firm’s Class Action ...
The National Law Journal - General Litigation Winner
June 3, 2019, The National Law Journal
Covington Represents Ukraine in Securing Order for Release of Servicemen and Naval Vessels
May 25, 2019
WASHINGTON—Advised by Covington, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs secured a significant victory against the Russian Federation in a dispute arising under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (“ITLOS”), a 21-judge international tribunal based in Hamburg, ordered Russia to release three Ukrainian naval ...
May 7, 2019
LOS ANGELES—For the second consecutive year, The National Law Journal has named Covington to its "Pro Bono Hot List." The 2019 special report recognizes the lawyers and law firms who "have used their legal expertise to take on some of the biggest issues of our time." In its profile of the firm, The National Law Journal highlights Covington's pro bono efforts, ...
Our 2019 Pro Bono Hot List
May 7, 2019, The National Law Journal
Covington was named to The National Law Journal's "Pro Bono Hot List" for its representation of the City of Los Angeles to prevent the federal government from requiring assistance with immigration enforcement as a condition of grants. “Law firms can help close this gap, particularly in cases like these that require substantial expertise and resources,” said ...
Covington Files Memorial in International Court of Justice on Behalf of Ukraine in Case Against the Russian Federation
June 13, 2018
WASHINGTON—Covington submitted a Memorial to the International Court of Justice on behalf of Ukraine that documents violations of international law by the Russian Federation. The Memorial, accompanied by a substantial evidentiary record, establishes that the Russian Federation has violated the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of ...
Another One Bites the Dust (Thanks Covington)
April 16, 2018, The Am Law Litigation Daily
The Am Law Litigation Daily highlights a victory on behalf of the city of Los Angeles following U.S. District Judge Manuel Real's decision to enjoin an attempt by the Justice Department to link funding for community-oriented policing to cooperation with federal law enforcement agencies on immigration enforcement. Mitch Kamin, who was a member of the Covington ...
Trump Admin. Can't Deny DOJ Grants To 'Sanctuary' Cities
April 12, 2018, Law360
Law360 highlights Covington's successful representation of the City of Los Angeles following a decision by a California federal judge which imposed a permanent, nationwide ban that would prevent the Administration from placing certain immigration-related conditions on community policing grants administered by the Justice Department. The Covington team included ...
September 7, 2017, Stars & Stripes
David Zionts is quoted in a Stars & Stripes article regarding the recent ban on transgender personnel in the military. Zionts, who is a member of the Covington team serving as co-counsel with the ACLU challenging the ban, says the issue is "equality before the law." When “the government wants to discriminate and treat one class of people different, it needs a ...
August 28, 2017, Bloomberg
Bloomberg highlights Covington's role as co-counsel with the ACLU in a lawsuit challenging the ban preventing transgender men and women from serving in the armed forces. “When the memorandum was issued on [August 25] it was apparent to us that this was going to cause immediate harm to the transgender community serving in the military," says David Zionts. Mitch ...
May 4, 2017, Covington Alert
Investments in developing economies offer substantial benefits for many reasons, including their growth potential. But they often come with greater economic and political risks. Investment-protection treaties are an important and relatively inexpensive tool to manage some of those risks. Most bilateral and multilateral investment treaties provide foreign ...
Covington Promotes 13 New Partners
October 3, 2016
WASHINGTON—Covington has promoted 13 lawyers to its partnership. “Our new partners reflect the excellence, strengths, and diversity of the firm and will play important roles in the firm for decades to come and will help drive our key practices to even greater success in the years ahead,” said Timothy Hester, Covington’s chair. The new partners, who are based in ...
Covington Honored at GCR Awards 2015
April 20, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC, April 20, 2015 — Global Competition Review has selected matters led by Covington lawyers as winners of two 2015 GCR Awards. Litigation of the Year, Cartel Defense was awarded for the defendants’ win in Motorola Mobility v AU Optronics, et al. Covington partners Robert Wick and Derek Ludwin in Washington, DC, and Jeffrey Davidson in San ...
February 23, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC, February 23, 2015 - A federal judge in the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction to halt the Obama administration's policy of detaining Central American mothers and children seeking asylum in the United States as a means of deterring others from coming to America. The ruling by U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg of the District ...
February 23, 2015, Law360
Covington's Dennis Auerbach, David Zionts, and Sonia Lahr-Pastor are mentioned in this article regarding their representation of the plaintiffs who won an injunction last week against the Obama administration's alleged policy of detaining immigrant families seeking asylum as a form of deterrence. Dennis Auerbach of Covington & Burling LLP, who is litigating for ...
December 5, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC, December 5, 2014 - For the second time this year, Am Law Litigation Daily named Covington & Burling’s Robert Wick as “Litigator of the Week.” Mr. Wick was honored for convincing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit to reject Motorola's attempt to hold Samsung Electronics and several other of the world’s largest liquid crystal display ...
November 26, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC, November 26, 2014 — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit today rejected Motorola Mobility LLC's attempt to hold Samsung Electronics and several other of the world’s largest liquid crystal display manufacturers liable under U.S. antitrust law for allegedly fixing prices of mobile phone displays sold to Motorola’s foreign subsidiaries. ...
U.S. court rejects Motorola Mobility price-fixing appeal
November 26, 2014, Reuters
Robert Wick, Jeffrey Davidson, Derek Ludwin, John Playforth and David Zionts are mentioned in these articles regarding their representation of Samsung. From WSJ: "Robert Wick, a Covington & Burling lawyer who represented the LCD makers, said the court’s ruling meant Motorola would have to assert its claims under foreign law." “The court’s opinion basically ...
Justices To Weigh Key Defense For ERISA Stock-Drop Cases
April 1, 2014, Law360
Covington's Robert Long, John Vine and David Zionts are mentioned in regards to their appearing before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Fifth Third Bank.
- The National Law Journal, "DC Rising Star" (2020)
- Law360, Appellate "Rising Star" (2019)
Practices
Education
Harvard Law School, J.D., 2008
- magna cum laude
- Fay Diploma
- Sears Prize
- Harvard Law Review, Articles Chair
Columbia University, B.A., 2005
- summa cum laude
- Phi Beta Kappa