BigLaw backs down
Donald Trump has withdrawn an executive order targeting US law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison (Paul, Weiss) after the firm agreed to provide $40 million (£31 million) in free legal services to support the administration’s priorities.
The executive order, issued last week, had suspended the firm’s federal security clearances, barred its lawyers from entering government buildings, and threatened government contractors associated with the firm.
The White House cited past work by Mark Pomerantz, a former Paul, Weiss partner who previously led a criminal investigation into Trump’s finances, as part of its justification. Pomerantz had reportedly compared Trump to a “mob boss” and played a central role in a New York probe into alleged hush-money payments.
The administration has presented the resolution as a compromise reached following a meeting between Trump and Paul, Weiss chair Brad Karp. In a statement released by the White House, Karp said: “We are gratified that the President has agreed to withdraw the Executive Order concerning Paul, Weiss. We look forward to an engaged and constructive relationship with the President and his Administration.”
As part of the deal, Paul, Weiss has committed to offering legal services that “represent the full spectrum of political viewpoints” and has reportedly agreed to disavow the use of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) considerations in its hiring and promotion practices, according to the White House. The $40 million in pro bono work will support Trump administration initiatives in areas including veterans’ affairs, antisemitism, and justice system reform.
Taking to his own social media platform, Truth Social, Trump framed the deal with Paul, Weiss as a reaffirmation of “the bedrock principle of American Justice”: that it must remain fair and nonpartisan. The post criticised law firms that make hiring or client decisions based on political affiliation, claiming such practices “deny some Americans an equal opportunity” and betray the legal profession’s highest ideals. It also warned against lawyers engaging in partisan decision-making, which it said undermines their ethical obligation to represent the unpopular or politically disfavoured.
The move comes amid a broader pattern of action by the Trump administration targeting law firms over their perceived political leanings and diversity policies. As reported earlier this week, the White House has launched probes into 20 top firms including A&O Shearman, Freshfields, and Hogan Lovells as part of a coordinated crackdown on DEI in the legal profession. Some firms have already responded by quietly editing or removing DEI-related content from their websites.
The Law Society of England and Wales, along with legal bodies across the globe, has publicly condemned what it describes as “acts of intimidation, hindrance or harassment” against lawyers, while thousands of associates at US law firms have signed open letters accusing the administration of creating a “culture of fear” designed to punish firms that represent clients critical of the government.
Earlier this month, Trump issued an executive order targeting summer vacation schemes accusing BigLaw firms of “racial discrimination” by implementing DEI policies in recruitment. The order has already impacted firms including Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling, who have seen security clearances revoked and contracts put under review.
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