Seven Covington Lawyers Named Law360 MVPs

WASHINGTON—Law360 has named seven Covington lawyers as MVPs, third most among all firms, in their respective practice areas. The awards single out lawyers from across numerous practice areas based on their success in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters, and record-breaking deals.

The Covington lawyers recognized as Law360 MVPs are:

• Thomas Barnett, Competition. Mr. Barnett co-chairs the firm's Antitrust & Competition Law Practice Group. Mr. Barnett served as Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. He headed the Antitrust Division from 2005 to 2008, having previously served in the Division as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Enforcement from 2004 to 2005. He specializes in global antitrust and competition law practice and works closely with the firm’s white collar practice on criminal antitrust enforcement and investigative matters.

           Mr. Barnett's full MVP profile can be found here.

• Jay Carey, Government Contracts. Mr. Carey represents government contractors in litigation, counsels them regarding a wide range of formation and compliance matters, and defends them in investigations by federal and state governments. He litigates protests involving complex procurements often worth billions of dollars, across a wide range of industries — aerospace and defense; biotechnology; health care; cybersecurity; information technology; telecommunications; and others.  He has represented clients before the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Court of Federal Claims, and state tribunals across the country.

           Mr. Carey's full MVP profile can be found here.

• Marney Cheek, International Arbitration. Ms. Cheek co-chairs Covington's International Arbitration Practice Group.  She represents both states and corporate clients in complex international disputes, advises on commercial and investment treaty cases, and litigates international law issues in U.S. courts.  Clients frequently call on Ms. Cheek for her strategic insights and deep knowledge of international arbitration.  Her victories include a complete dismissal of a $1.8 billion trade secret and breach of contract claim for a leading pharmaceutical company, and a finding of expropriation in a $5 billion investment treaty case for which she won TransAtlantic Arbitration Team of the Year.  She is a member of the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law and routinely lectures on international law issues.

           Ms. Cheek's full MVP profile can be found here. 

• Christine Haskett, Insurance. Ms. Haskett is a trial lawyer who represents insurance policyholders in litigation, arbitration, and claims disputes with commercial insurance carriers. Her practice encompasses almost every type of insurance coverage dispute, with a focus on property and business interruption insurance, asbestos and other long-tail liabilities, construction defect claims, and representations and warranties, E&O, and D&O insurance. Ms. Haskett has a chemical engineering background, which gives her special expertise in insurance disputes involving the chemical, oil, and manufacturing industries.

           Ms. Haskett's MVP profile can be found here.

• Brent Little, Sports. Mr. Little advises clients in structuring and negotiating financing transactions and mergers and acquisitions. He has substantial experience advising clients in the sports industry in a wide range of matters, including debt and equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, naming rights, sponsorship and other commercial matters.  His finance experience includes representing lenders, borrowers and investors in acquisition financings, royal monetizations and venture capital investments.

           Mr. Little's MVP profile can be found here.  

• Mark Plotkin, International Trade. Mr. Plotkin represents clients before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and other branches of the U.S. government. He delivers outstanding results for global clients across industries. Mr. Plotkin’s practice includes having negotiated some of the most challenging compliance and security agreements ever concluded with the U.S. Government – agreements that in many instances now are the template for the relevant industries.

           Mr. Plotkin's MVP profile can be found here.

• Richard Rainey, Intellectual Property. Mr. Rainey has substantial experience representing clients in district court and ITC patent trials, and appeals of patent cases before the Federal Circuit. He has notable experience advising clients in the technology sector, and has handled cases involving a range of complex technologies. His ability to provide holistic and practical solutions in patent disputes is enhanced by his in-house experience, having served as GE’s Global Chief IP Litigator and head of GE’s Intellectual Property Litigation Center of Excellence. Mr. Rainey also devotes considerable time to bar associations, and teaching and writing in the intellectual property field.

           Mr. Rainey's MVP profile can be found here.