LINTHICUM, Md. -- Hudson Cook LLP, a provider of legal compliance services for the financial services industry, has announced the addition of Patricia "Patty" E.M. Covington as a partner in the firm. Covington will focus her practice on automotive dealership and finance company compliance issues, including electronic contracting, privacy and marketing, with a particular concentration on information privacy, data management and data security matters.

Before joining Hudson Cook, Covington worked for eight years with Richmond, Va.-based CarMax Inc. She served most recently as CarMax’s Deputy General Counsel.

"Hudson Cook has represented CarMax for several years, and we hope that Patty's presence with the firm will enable us to continue our relationship," said Tom Hudson, partner of Hudson Cook. "We expect her to significantly strengthen our efforts in the areas in which she will be focusing her practice."

In April 2005, Covington was selected by Corporate Counsel magazine as one of 10 lawyers it predicts will make general counsel at a Fortune 500 company in the next five years — the "2005 GC Shortlist." The selection was made after surveying nationally nearly 1000 general counsel and practice area heads, hundreds of outside counsel and managing partners and nearly 1000 legal recruiters.