Note: After this story from the October 2012 issue of Corporate Counsel went to press, there were key updates to important aspects of the case. Please read this statement from Timothy Hester, chair of Covingtons management committee [PDF], for Covington & Burling’s response.
An assistant general counsel at 3M Company is caught up in an unusual and nasty fight between his employer and its former outside counsel. It’s particularly surprising because the firmwith which it had a long-standing relationshipisn’t exactly Dewey Cheatem & Howe. It’s prestigious Covington & Burling.