In a notable transition from her extensive public service career, Victoria Nuland, a veteran diplomat with over three decades of experience, has joined Covington & Burling as a part-time senior advisor in their global public policy practice. Nuland’s move to the private sector, as announced last month, follows her recent departure from the State Department, where she served as undersecretary of political affairs and managed various regional and strategic portfolios, including China’s trade relations and counter-terrorism initiatives.
Nuland is set to counsel Covington’s clientele on critical areas such as reputation management and the complexities of adversarial trade relationships. Her role is expected to be particularly relevant under a second Trump administration, promising to involve strategic advocacy with legislative and executive branches. In explaining her transition, Nuland highlighted Covington’s global reach, which aligns with her interests in the intersection of policy, law, and international business [Bloomberg Law].
Nuland, who has previously oscillated between public service and private advisory roles, previously worked with Albright Stonebridge Group and led the Center for a New American Security as CEO. Her tenure at the State Department included bolstering U.S. alliances with NATO and engaging with emerging global powers like South Africa and Colombia. While she had expressed concerns over the Trump administration’s earlier foreign policy shifts, she now acknowledges the president-elect’s post-election diplomatic engagements as a positive sign of continued international collaboration.
Daniel Feldman, co-chair of Covington’s public policy group, expressed enthusiasm for Nuland’s appointment, acknowledging the strategic value her experience brings to clients navigating the current geopolitically charged environment, especially regarding tensions with China and the Middle East. As corporations and law firms brace for the intricate policy developments likely to unfold, Nuland’s strategic input at Covington could prove indispensable in navigating the multifaceted global landscape.