Former Arizona senator joins Covington

Kyl, who was most recently the Senate minority whip, was named as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2010. 

He will advise Covington clients on the policy aspects of tax, health care, defence, national security and IP matters.

Though he admitted the bills were "not perfect", Kyl supported SOPA and PIPA last year, saying that “legislation should be enacted to prevent foreign websites whose primary business is trafficking in infringed goods from doing business with Americans”.

Kyl also sponsored the Patent Reform Act of 2008.