In a twist that’s rattled the legal world, heavyweight law firm Paul Weiss has been thrust into the spotlight—not for winning a high-profile case or landing a billionaire client, but for cutting a deal with Donald Trump to save its skin.
Facing the heat of an executive order that threatened to choke off its access to government buildings, clients, and classified work, the firm struck a controversial agreement with the White House. The price? $40 million in pro bono legal services aligned with Trump’s priorities, and an apparent rollback of internal diversity initiatives.
The backlash was immediate and fierce.
Legal circles lit up with condemnation. Critics didn’t mince words—calling the pact a sellout, a stain, even a capitulation. Prominent voices from across the profession labeled the move not just tone-deaf but dangerous, warning it sets a precedent for political strong-arming of independent law firms.
Marc Elias, a top Democratic legal strategist, called the deal a “stain on the entire legal profession.” Others, including former Paul Weiss associates, posted blistering takedowns online before scrubbing their comments under the glare of media scrutiny.
Behind closed doors, the firm insists the deal was about survival. Chairman Brad Karp, in an internal message, defended the agreement as consistent with Paul Weiss’s “core principles” and political neutrality. The firm, with deep ties to Democratic power players and a client roster full of tech and finance giants, reportedly weighed suing the administration before concluding that litigation would drive away business.
One client, a defendant in a bribery case, already fired Paul Weiss due to the executive order. But after the firm’s détente with the White House, that same client began reconsidering.
The full terms of the deal remain murky. The copy circulated by Trump included language that bans the firm from using or pursuing “DEI policies” (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), a detail not present in the version Paul Weiss shared internally. Neither the firm nor the White House have clarified the discrepancy.
Legal scholars are calling Trump’s pressure campaign on law firms unprecedented. The same tactics were deployed against Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling—firms linked to investigations and legal actions against Trump. The administration has even ordered the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to dig into the diversity practices of 20 top law firms, widening its crackdown.
For Paul Weiss, the damage may not be limited to the present. Recruitment could suffer. Aspiring attorneys—many from increasingly diverse law school cohorts—may think twice before joining a firm seen as bowing to political pressure.
“This generation expects more than just lip service when it comes to inclusion,” said Nikia Gray of the National Association for Law Placement.
Whether this moment marks a blip or a turning point for one of Wall Street’s most elite firms remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Paul Weiss just stepped into the legal and political fire—and the scorch marks are already showing.
