Meet the Team
Andrea Benavides Wise
Founder + Attorney
Andrea isn't your typical transactional attorney - she has lived every side of the equestrian industry that she now serves. As a lifelong equestrian and competitor, Andrea knows the realities behind the handshake deals, the unspoken expectations, and the complex relationships that drive this world. Her philosophy is simple: contracts first, handshakes second.
With eight years of experience as a real estate attorney, Andrea brings sophisticated transactional expertise to every equine matter. She founded and scaled an equestrian startup, inventing a product that achieved international sales in over 40 stores and securing a licensing partnership with one of the largest East Coast distributors. As one of the first high-profile equestrian influencers, she collaborated with over 50 brands on sponsorships and marketing campaigns - experience that now informs her counsel on brand partnerships, influencer contracts, and social media agreements.
Today, as a transactional attorney specializing in equine law, Andrea brings a rare combination of legal precision and insider perspective. She has been an owner, leaser, competitor, startup founder, and influencer - giving her an understanding of both the business and the barn aisle. Her practice focuses on contracts, negotiations, and business formation, providing counsel that is both legally compliant and commercially smart.
Andrea's network within the equestrian community runs deep, spanning trainers, show barns, small business owners, and marketing professionals. This allows her to offer legal guidance that helps clients move forward with confidence, in and out of the ring.
Whether you're finalizing a horse sale, drafting a boarding contract, purchasing equestrian property, launching a startup, or negotiating a brand deal, Andrea delivers legal solutions that are legally sound, financially stable, and grounded in real-world experience.
Claire Covington
Founder + Attorney
Claire provides discreet, strategic legal counsel at the intersection of equine enterprises, brand protection, and commercial growth.
Claire is not a traditional transactional attorney operating at a distance from the industries she serves. She has advised founders, entrepreneurs, and growing brands through complex negotiations, high-value agreements, and brand-defining moments. Prior to co-founding Wise Covington, she served as General Counsel to a venture-backed start-up enterprise and as Managing Partner of a North Carolina law firm, where she negotiated sophisticated commercial agreements, resolved complex intellectual property matters, and guided emerging businesses through critical growth phases.
With more than 18 years of legal experience, she brings a sophisticated understanding of how business, reputation, and long-term value intersect. She co-founded Wise Covington to offer the equine industry thoughtful, commercially focused legal counsel in an environment where trust, relationships, and reputation are paramount.
She understands that the equine industry often moves faster than formal documentation and that many arrangements are built on trust long before a contract is signed. Her approach is pragmatic and refined, translating unspoken expectations into clear, enforceable agreements that protect assets, preserve relationships, and support long-term success.
Claire offers direct access, discretion, and highly personalized service. She works closely with her clients as a strategic partner, providing clarity and confidence in an industry where the right agreement is as valuable as the right horse.