Covington & Burling spent much of 1999 seeking a technology guru who could pull together the firm’s scattered information services. About halfway through the search, Covington broadened its scope to include candidates from the corporate world, not just from the professional services sector that law firms traditionally have looked to.
In the end – after screening more than 20 candidates and interviewing at least a dozen in person – the D.C.-based firm hired Stephen Roberts from Amtrak. “He understands how to take and use technology to enhance the business objectives of the firm,” says John Waters, executive director of Covington & Burling. “Lawyers now understand technology as a critical component of their practice of law.”
