Mary Mikhaeel advises clients on developing sophisticated human rights compliance programs, based on human rights-focused hard law and international best practices. She works with clients to develop cutting edge solutions to forced labor supply chain risks, and also advises clients on a wide range of Customs matters.

As a member of Covington’s Business and Human Rights Practice Group, Mary supports companies in furthering their commitment to respecting human rights, as articulated in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). She has experience in assisting companies with building compliance programs, conducting human rights risk assessments and investigations, and developing human rights due diligence procedures.

Mary has extensive experience counseling clients across a wide range of industries on how to mitigate forced labor risks in the context of U.S. anti-forced labor laws, including the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and Withhold Release Orders (WROs).

Mary is also a member of Covington’s customs practice and advises clients on a wide range of issues related to customs compliance and tariff mitigation strategies. She has experience advising clients on seeking ruling requests with Customs, assisting clients in submitting prior disclosures, and conducting internal compliance reviews.

Prior to law school, Mary was part of a research team that developed the Corporations and Human Rights Database, the first database created to monitor public allegations of business’ possible human rights violations. She also worked at the University of Minnesota’s Human Rights program on a variety of business and human rights matters, including issues related to a forced displacement case before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and interned for a human rights non-government organization that holds consultative status with the United Nations.