Executive Summary

2026 has been a dynamic year so far for federal regulation of automotive safety. Federal regulators have demonstrated a sustained commitment to regulatory reform and innovation, while simultaneously advancing efforts to facilitate the deployment of autonomous vehicles. Congress has also renewed its focus on vehicle safety and automation as lawmakers consider legislation that could significantly reshape the federal framework governing AVs and vehicle-safety regulation.

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Photo of Sarah Wilson Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson is a litigation and investigations partner who chairs the firm’s market-leading Product Safety Practice Group. Her clients include the world’s largest global consumer and commercial products manufacturers across a range of industries, including consumer packaged goods, automotive vehicles and equipment, aviation…

Sarah Wilson is a litigation and investigations partner who chairs the firm’s market-leading Product Safety Practice Group. Her clients include the world’s largest global consumer and commercial products manufacturers across a range of industries, including consumer packaged goods, automotive vehicles and equipment, aviation, electronics, life sciences, and information technology. Sarah has successfully represented clients in the largest recalls and safety-related investigations in recent history, including airbags, fire extinguishers, single load liquid laundry packets, toxic chemicals in household products, lithium-ion battery-powered laptops, car seats, and electric bikes and scooters. Sarah assists clients in developing cutting edge recall policies, compliance program enhancements, and voluntary safety standards.

Prior to joining Covington, Sarah served in several high-ranking federal government positions, including as a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, as Senior and Associate Counsel to the President, and as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Trial Attorney in the Department of Justice.

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Photo of Jennifer Johnson Jennifer Johnson

Jennifer Johnson is a partner specializing in communications, media and technology matters who serves as Co-Chair of Covington’s Technology Industry Group and its global and multi-disciplinary Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) Groups. She represents and advises technology companies, content distributors…

Jennifer Johnson is a partner specializing in communications, media and technology matters who serves as Co-Chair of Covington’s Technology Industry Group and its global and multi-disciplinary Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) Groups. She represents and advises technology companies, content distributors, television companies, trade associations, and other entities on a wide range of media and technology matters. Jennifer has three decades of experience advising clients in the communications, media and technology sectors, and has held leadership roles in these practices for more than twenty years. On technology issues, she collaborates with Covington’s global, multi-disciplinary team to assist companies navigating the complex statutory and regulatory constructs surrounding this evolving area, including product counseling and technology transactions related to connected and autonomous vehicles, internet connected devices, artificial intelligence, smart ecosystems, and other IoT products and services. Jennifer serves on the Board of Editors of The Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law.

Jennifer assists clients in developing and pursuing strategic business and policy objectives before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Congress and through transactions and other business arrangements. She regularly advises clients on FCC regulatory matters and advocates frequently before the FCC. Jennifer has extensive experience negotiating content acquisition and distribution agreements for media and technology companies, including program distribution agreements, network affiliation and other program rights agreements, and agreements providing for the aggregation and distribution of content on over-the-top app-based platforms. She also assists investment clients in structuring, evaluating, and pursuing potential investments in media and technology companies.

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Photo of Holly Fechner Holly Fechner

Holly Fechner advises clients on complex public policy matters that combine legal and political opportunities and risks. She leads teams that represent companies, entities, and organizations in significant policy and regulatory matters before Congress and the Executive Branch.

She is a co-chair of…

Holly Fechner advises clients on complex public policy matters that combine legal and political opportunities and risks. She leads teams that represent companies, entities, and organizations in significant policy and regulatory matters before Congress and the Executive Branch.

She is a co-chair of the Covington’s Technology Industry Group and a member of the Covington Political Action Committee board of directors.

Holly works with clients to:

Develop compelling public policy strategies
Research law and draft legislation and policy
Draft testimony, comments, fact sheets, letters and other documents
Advocate before Congress and the Executive Branch
Form and manage coalitions
Develop communications strategies

She is the Executive Director of Invent Together and a visiting lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She serves on the board of directors of the American Constitution Society.

Holly served as Policy Director for Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Chief Labor and Pensions Counsel for the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee.

She received The American Lawyer, “Dealmaker of the Year” award in 2019. The Hill named her a “Top Lobbyist” from 2013 to the present, and she has been ranked by Chambers USA – America’s Leading Business Lawyers from 2012 to the present. One client noted to Chambers: “Holly is an exceptional attorney who excels in government relations and policy discussions. She has an incisive analytical skill set which gives her the capability of understanding extremely complex legal and institutional matters.” According to another client surveyed by Chambers, “Holly is incredibly intelligent, effective and responsive. She also leads the team in a way that brings out everyone’s best work.”

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Photo of Matthew Shapanka Matthew Shapanka

Matthew Shapanka is a strategic policy and regulatory attorney who helps technology companies and other businesses navigate complex, high-stakes legislative, regulatory, and enforcement matters at the intersection of law and politics. Drawing on 15+ years of experience across private practice, the U.S. Senate…

Matthew Shapanka is a strategic policy and regulatory attorney who helps technology companies and other businesses navigate complex, high-stakes legislative, regulatory, and enforcement matters at the intersection of law and politics. Drawing on 15+ years of experience across private practice, the U.S. Senate, state government, and political campaigns, Matt develops comprehensive policy strategies that identify regulatory risks and position clients to shape policy outcomes.

Public Policy and Regulatory Strategy

Matt serves as a strategic advisor to Fortune 200 companies on emerging technology policy, including artificial intelligence regulation, connected and autonomous vehicles, semiconductors, IoT, and national security matters. He translates complex legal and technical issues into actionable legislative and regulatory strategy, building the policy frameworks and advocacy infrastructure that enable clients to influence policy. He develops policy collateral for federal, state, and international advocacy, coordinates multi-stakeholder coalitions, and represents clients before Congress, federal agencies, and state legislative and regulatory bodies.

His technology policy experience includes securing unprecedented Presidential intervention in the $118 billion Qualcomm-Broadcom transaction (for which Covington was recognized as The American Lawyer 2019 “Dealmakers of the Year”), advising Fortune 200 companies on Bureau of Industry and Security connected vehicle rules, and counseling major internet platforms on autonomous vehicle policy across dozens of states.

Matt leads Covington’s state public policy practice, managing complex multistate legislative and regulatory advocacy campaigns. His state-level work includes securing a last-minute amendment to California’s 2023 money transmitter legislation on behalf of a fintech client and representing major technology companies on state AI, autonomous vehicle, and political advertising compliance matters across dozens of jurisdictions.

Matt rejoined Covington after serving as Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration under Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), where he negotiated the landmark bipartisan Electoral Count Reform Act – legislation that updated presidential election certification procedures for the first time in nearly 140 years. He also oversaw the Committee’s bipartisan January 6th investigation, developing protocols that resulted in unanimous passage of new Capitol security legislation.

Both in Congress and at Covington, Matt has prepared dozens of corporate executives, nonprofit leaders, academics, and presidential nominees for testimony at congressional committee hearings and depositions. He is a skilled legislative drafter and strategist who has composed dozens of bills and amendments introduced in Congress and state legislatures, including many that have been enacted into law.

Election and Political Law Compliance and Enforcement

As a member of Covington’s Chambers-ranked (Band 1) Election and Political Law practice, Matt advises businesses, nonprofits, political committees, candidates, and donors on the full range of federal and state political law compliance matters, including:

Election and campaign finance laws
Lobbying disclosure
Government ethics rules
The SEC Pay-to-Play Rule

He also conducts political law due diligence for M&A transactions, counsels major political funders and donors in compliance and enforcement matters, and represents candidates, ballot measure committees, and donors in election disputes and recounts.

Before law school, Matt served in the administration of former Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA), where he worked on policy, communications, and compliance matters for federal economic recovery funding awarded to the state. He has also staffed federal, state, and local political candidates in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

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Photo of John Mizerak John Mizerak

Jack Mizerak is special counsel in the firm’s Washington DC office, focusing on product safety, transportation, and environmental matters. He has experience with investigations, litigation, and regulatory issues under the Clean Air Act, the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, the Consumer Product Safety Act…

Jack Mizerak is special counsel in the firm’s Washington DC office, focusing on product safety, transportation, and environmental matters. He has experience with investigations, litigation, and regulatory issues under the Clean Air Act, the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, the Consumer Product Safety Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Clean Water Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and other environmental and consumer protection standards.

Jack has expertise in governmental enforcement, including fact development, government engagement, and adoption of compliance reforms to address underlying issues and prevent recurrence of violations. He was an integral part of a Covington team that resolved one of the ten largest enforcement matters in the history of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Jack works extensively with clients in the automotive sector, advising original equipment manufacturers, traditional Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 suppliers, advanced technology and software suppliers, trade associations, and fleet owners on a range of policy, regulatory, compliance, and enforcement issues, spanning both the consumer and freight sectors. He has represented clients facing some of the largest automotive recalls in U.S. history, affecting as much as 15% of vehicles registered in the United States. Jack also regularly advises clients on emerging technologies in the automotive industry, including connected and autonomous vehicles and zero-emission powertrains.

Jack also represents clients in the growing micromobility and low-speed vehicle sectors. He represents manufacturers and fleet operators of personal transportation vehicles, e-bikes, and scooters.

Jack regularly represents clients in the consumer product space more broadly, including manufacturers online platforms. His work spans the entire product lifecycle, from standard setting for product categories, risk assessments during product development, and litigation and investigations stemming from issues after products have been introduced into commerce.

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Photo of Molly Brown Molly Brown

Molly Brown is an associate in the firm’s Washington, DC office and a member of the Product Safety, Congressional Investigations, White Collar Defense and Investigations, and Business and Human Rights Practice Groups. Molly represents clients in internal investigations and investigations by federal enforcement…

Molly Brown is an associate in the firm’s Washington, DC office and a member of the Product Safety, Congressional Investigations, White Collar Defense and Investigations, and Business and Human Rights Practice Groups. Molly represents clients in internal investigations and investigations by federal enforcement authorities. Molly frequently advises clients on compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act, the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, and other federal safety laws and regulations. Molly also represents companies in investigations before congressional committees, which includes helping companies respond to congressional subpoenas and requests for documents and information and preparing senior executives to testify before congressional committees. Molly maintains an active pro bono practice focused on indigent criminal defense and immigration.

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Photo of Micah Telegen Micah Telegen

Micah Telegen represents clients in complex investigations and enforcement actions, including in the automotive and consumer product industries. He frequently advises clients on compliance with the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, the Consumer Product Safety Act, and other federal safety laws and regulations. Micah…

Micah Telegen represents clients in complex investigations and enforcement actions, including in the automotive and consumer product industries. He frequently advises clients on compliance with the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, the Consumer Product Safety Act, and other federal safety laws and regulations. Micah also regularly advises clients facing regulatory challenges related to emerging technologies in the automotive industry, including connected and autonomous vehicles. He also maintains an active pro bono practice and has experience litigating on behalf of criminal defendants and tenants facing eviction.

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Photo of Charlotte Krovoza Charlotte Krovoza

Charlotte Krovoza is an associate in the firm’s Washington, DC office. She represents multinational companies and organizations in complex, high stakes enforcement matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, among other…

Charlotte Krovoza is an associate in the firm’s Washington, DC office. She represents multinational companies and organizations in complex, high stakes enforcement matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, among other authorities. Charlotte also counsels companies on compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act and the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and advises clients navigating sensitive congressional investigations. She maintains an active pro bono practice focused on civil rights and indigent defense.

Prior to joining the firm, Charlotte clerked for Judge James I. Cohn of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

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Photo of Ben Rolsma Ben Rolsma

Ben Rolsma is an associate in the firm’s Washington, DC office. He is a member of the Environmental and Energy Practice Group. Before joining the firm, he clerked for Judge Kevin C. Newsom of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

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