Covington & Burling has boosted its London competition practice with the hire of the general counsel at the UK’s data protection authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). 

Claudia Berg, who has led the ICO’s legal department since 2021, will join Covington’s global antitrust and competition practice in London as a partner.

Before joining the ICO, Berg spent more than seven years as head of enforcement at the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority where she was responsible for the legal oversight of the CMA’s entire competition law enforcement portfolio. Prior to that she practised as a competition lawyer at Linklaters, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Commenting on her hire, Johan Ysewyn, co-chair of Covington’s global antitrust practice, said: “Claudia’s arrival will strengthen the team’s expertise relating to the interplay between antitrust, tech regulation and privacy that is increasingly on our clients’ minds as they seek to navigate complex global regulatory regimes.”

Berg, who is admitted to the bar in Germany and England and Wales, highlighted Convington’s deep bench of former government lawyers globally as a draw to the firm.

“The introduction of the UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act has undoubtedly brought a new level of complexity to antitrust enforcement in the tech sector,” she added. “This expansive legislation creates another layer of obligations for companies with activities in digital markets. 

“Recent digital regulation in Europe including the most recent UK legislation has brought new challenges and opportunities in the tech sector. Regulators and firms are conscious of the overlaps between these new laws. I am excited to be part of an incredible team seeking to help clients thrive in this new world.”

Her hire comes just a few weeks after Covington launched a new insurance policy holder disputes practice in London with the hire of Mishcon de Reya’s head of insurance disputes, Sonia Campbell. 

In early July the firm also significantly boosted its private equity offering in the City with the addition of Sidley Austin partners Lyndsey Laverack and Jade Williams-Adedeji.

The firm has also seen exits in London recently, including that of its former EMEA co-head of white-collar defence and EMEA co-head of commercial litigation, Ian Hargreaves, who joined disputes boutique Quillon Law earlier this month. Last month commerical litigation partner Greg Lascelles left the firm for Hausfeld.