David Pinsky is a partner in the firm's international arbitration and litigation practices. David's recent work includes winning a $5-billion award for Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company, Naftogaz, in an investment arbitration against Russia, in response to Russia’s unlawful expropriation of Naftogaz’s assets upon annexing the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, as well as representing Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in an investment dispute against Russia.

In addition to his disputes work, David also counsels clients on how to structure their cross-border investments in order to be well-positioned in case of future disputes with foreign governments, and he has advised multiple clients in connection with their exits from Russia following the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

David is a member of Covington’s Management Committee, and he practices and lives in New York City.

David's arbitration practice focuses both on investor-state and on commercial disputes, often arising in Russia and Eastern Europe and in the energy sector. He has handled administered proceedings under the ICC, SCC, LCIA, ICDR, and AAA Rules, as well as ad hoc proceedings under the UNCITRAL Rules. On the commercial side of his arbitration practice, David has particular expertise in disputes arising under the Uniform Commercial Code. In U.S. litigation, his practice focuses on international law issues, including litigation in support of arbitration and applications for discovery under 28 U.S.C. § 1782.

David also maintains an active pro bono practice, representing journalists and other media professionals who seek asylum in the United States. An émigré himself, David has won asylum and other forms of immigration relief for clients from Russia, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Afghanistan.

Before joining Covington in 2005, David lived in Moscow as a U.S. State Department-sponsored fellow where he studied the challenges facing Russia's press.