No Origination Credits in Partner Pay? Covington Sees Advantages

No Origination Credits in Partner Pay? Covington Sees Advantages

January 22, 2024, National Law Journal

Doug Gibson, Laura Flahive Wu, and Aaron Lewis’s commentary was included in a National Law Journal article exploring Covington’s compensation model. The article focused on the firm’s lack of billing and origination credits and the impact that has on the firm’s ability to deliver high quality service, to attract and retain talent, and to integrate former government lawyers.  

“It’s a subjective standard, and we take into account all the different ways in which partners contribute. It, of course, includes efforts and successes in developing client relationships and generating work,” Doug said. “But it also includes other contributions such as working as members of teams to do great creative work for clients, pro bono efforts, and assisting on firm committee work.”

Aaron Lewis added that it improves the advice the firm provides to clients, noting that oftentimes within his practice handling enforcement matters, he brings in other attorneys with regulatory knowledge. “Because the client belongs to the firm as opposed to a single originating lawyer or partner, all of us have an incentive to jump in. It improves the strength of the strategies that we’re able to deploy in defense of our clients. I’ve seen that play out time and time again,” he said.

Laura shared that the firm’s lack of billing and origination credits has been one of the reasons why she has stayed at the firm for her entire legal career.