Covington Promotes 14 to Partner Across Six Offices Globally

Covington Promotes 14 to Partner Across Six Offices Globally

October 1, 2020

WASHINGTON—Covington has promoted 14 lawyers to its partnership.

“Our new partners practice in a wide range of the firm’s key practices and add importantly to our strengths,” said Doug Gibson, Covington’s chair. “This new partner class demonstrates that we continue to build an exceptional pipeline of superbly talented lawyers, across our offices and practices, who are well positioned to carry the firm forward. The strengths of the younger half of the partnership and the ability to build steadily from within is a core competitive advantage.”

The new partners, who are based in Brussels, London, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Washington, are:

Stephen Bartenstein (Washington): Mr. Bartenstein advises companies across a range of industries on the application of international trade controls, including export controls, sanctions, and antiboycott laws and regulations. He counsels clients on all aspects of trade controls compliance, including complex licensing and enforcement issues before the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, and Treasury. Mr. Bartenstein earned his J.D. from University of Michigan Law School and his A.B. from Harvard University.

Randy Benjenk (Washington): Mr. Benjenk is a bank regulatory lawyer who advises financial institutions on compliance strategies, government affairs, and transactional matters. He regularly represents clients in complex bank activities, structure, licensing, and prudential matters, often involving issues of first impression at the federal banking agencies. He has also worked with trade associations on some of the most important regulatory and policy initiatives of the last several years. Mr. Benjenk is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Binghamton University.

Kate Cahoy (Palo Alto): Ms. Cahoy is a litigator who specializes in defending clients in complex, high-stakes disputes, including class action and antitrust cases. Her practice includes privacy, antitrust, and consumer protection matters across several industries. Ms. Cahoy is a graduate of Yale Law School and earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Tulsa.

Stefanie Doebler (Washington): Ms. Doebler is co-chair of the firm's Health Care Practice Group, and her practice focuses on health care compliance matters for life sciences companies. She provides advice related to advertising and promotion, fraud and abuse, and other commercial legal matters.  She also counsels clients on the development and implementation of compliance programs. Ms. Doebler earned a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, a M.A. in public health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, a M.A. from Carnegie Mellon University, and a B.A. from Northwestern University.

Tyler Evans (Washington): Mr. Evans works closely with clients to resolve complex U.S. government contracting issues, with a focus on life sciences and defense. His practice covers multiple subject-matter areas, including research and development, biodefense, non-traditional contracting, intellectual property, contract negotiations, flow-down requirements, small business issues, sourcing restrictions, costs, and compliance. Mr. Evans earned his law degree from The George Washington University Law School and his undergraduate degree from Duke University.

Heather Finstuen (Washington): Ms. Finstuen advises clients on cross-border investment and national security matters. She represents domestic and international companies in securing the approval of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and the mitigation of foreign ownership, control, or influence (FOCI). She also leads national security investigations and provides strategic advice relating to supply chain matters. She received a J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, an M.A. from the University of Illinois, and her undergraduate degree from Occidental College.

Jared Frisch (Washington): Mr. Frisch specializes in high-stakes patent litigation before federal district courts, the International Trade Commission, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He has litigated in a diverse set of technology areas, including semiconductor devices, sensors and displays, medical devices, steel manufacturing, pharmaceutical products, and DNA technology. Mr. Frisch received a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.S.E.C.E. from Cornell University.

Matthew Gehl (New York): Mr. Gehl practices corporate and securities law with a focus on the representation of underwriters and issuers in equity and debt capital markets transactions. He also advises clients on disclosure and other securities law issues, corporate governance matters, and other general corporate matters. Mr. Gehl is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law and earned his undergraduate degree at the State University of New York at Geneseo.

Rani Gupta (Palo Alto): Ms. Gupta is a commercial litigator whose practice focuses on representing corporate policyholders in high-stakes insurance coverage disputes. She has helped clients recover for a wide range of losses and claims, including class action, products liability, and environmental claims. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School and earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University.

Jane Pinho (London): Ms. Pinho advises clients both U.S. and European media services firms on video content acquisition, video content production, and regulatory compliance. She also has broad expertise in advising emerging and established companies on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, post-merger integration and general corporate governance issues in both the life sciences and media, internet and technology industries. Ms. Pinho draws on this broad experience in implementing practical, yet innovative, solutions for her clients.

Allison Schiffman (New York): Ms. Schiffman represents clients in a broad range of M&A transactions, including private equity transactions, strategic acquisitions, divestitures, carve-out transactions, minority investments, and public company acquisitions. In addition, she has extensive experience representing financial advisors in M&A transactions. Ms. Schiffman's practice spans a variety of industries and includes representation of both U.S. and international clients. Ms. Schiffman is a graduate of Cornell Law School and earned her undergraduate degree from The George Washington University.

Andrew Stanner (Washington): Mr. Stanner is a seasoned trial attorney with deep government experience who represents clients facing complex litigation, investigations, and enforcement matters. Prior to joining Covington, he held senior positions at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Personnel Management and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia.  This experience provides a strong foundation for solving his clients toughest legal challenges. Mr. Stanner received an LL.M from Georgetown University Law Center in Trial Advocacy, a J.D. from the New York University School of Law, and a B.A. from Georgetown University.

Addison Thompson (San Francisco): Mr. Thompson represents clients in sensitive government and internal investigations and advises on compliance issues arising under anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws. He developed a deep understanding of government investigations while serving as an Assistant United States Attorney and as a trial attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and uses this experience to help clients anticipate likely government actions and to develop strategies to effectively manage investigations. Mr. Thompson is a graduate of Columbia Law School and received an A.B. from Princeton University.

Bart Van Vooren (Brussels): Mr. Van Vooren has a broad EU regulatory practice supporting innovative pharmaceutical, food, and biotech companies on regulatory, commercial, and strategic policy assignments.  He is also widely recognized for his broader expertise on EU law beyond the life sciences, his significant litigation experience before the EU Court of Justice in dozens of cases, and his unique practice on compliance with the Biodiversity Convention and the Nagoya Protocol.   Finally, Mr. Van Vooren maintains an active pro bono practice defending the human rights of disabled persons through strategic litigation.