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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump drops order against law firm after it pledges $40 million in legal services
President Donald Trump agreed to withdraw an executive order targeting law firm Paul Weiss' contracts and employee security clearances in exchange for a series of commitments from the firm, including dedicating $40 million of free legal services to "mutually agreed projects," Trump announced.
The March 14 executive order commanded agency heads to suspend security clearances for the firm's lawyers and threatened to snatch away government contracts for firm clients.
Paul Weiss is the third law firm targeted by Trump since late February. The pattern has sparked concerns among free speech advocates and legal observers about the independence of law firms under the new administration.
For some, Paul Weiss' agreement, announced late Thursday in a Trump post on Truth Social, heightened those concerns.
"This Paul Weiss capitulation is the most disgraceful action by a major law firm in my lifetime, so appalling that I couldnt believe it at first," posted lawyer George Conway, a prominent Republican-turned-Independent Trump critic, on X.
The March 14 executive order commanded agency heads to suspend security clearances for the firm's lawyers and threatened to snatch away government contracts for firm clients.
Paul Weiss is the third law firm targeted by Trump since late February. The pattern has sparked concerns among free speech advocates and legal observers about the independence of law firms under the new administration.
For some, Paul Weiss' agreement, announced late Thursday in a Trump post on Truth Social, heightened those concerns.
"This Paul Weiss capitulation is the most disgraceful action by a major law firm in my lifetime, so appalling that I couldnt believe it at first," posted lawyer George Conway, a prominent Republican-turned-Independent Trump critic, on X.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-drops-order-against-law-165122367.html
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Trump drops order against law firm after it pledges $40 million in legal services (Original Post)
In It to Win It
Mar 2025
OP
I'm less concerned about pro bono legal services (which most law firms do anyway),
Ms. Toad
Mar 2025
#4
louis-t
(24,575 posts)1. He will get a few to capitulate.
I hope the majority stay strong.
creon
(1,838 posts)2. Extorsion
It is obvious blackmail.
Disgusting.
Irish_Dem
(79,922 posts)3. At least we now know the going extortion fee.
Ms. Toad
(38,313 posts)4. I'm less concerned about pro bono legal services (which most law firms do anyway),
than I am about (1) agreeing to an outside (likely biased) investigation of hiring practices and (2) its admission of wrongdoing (which no one seems to be reporting on in any substantial manner).
The White House said that Mr. Karp had acknowledged wrongdoing by one of the firms former partners, Mark F. Pomerantz. Mr. Pomerantz had tried to build a criminal case against Mr. Trump several years ago while working at the Manhattan district attorneys office. It was not clear what wrongdoing Mr. Trump was referring to.
https://archive.li/VOzqQ#selection-945.0-945.326
Pomerantz denied any wrongdoing, but nothing in the NYT article suggests Karp disagreed with the White House Statement asserting that Karp admitted wrongdoing.
Historic NY
(39,669 posts)5. 40 hrs work should equal 40 million.
C_U_L8R
(48,897 posts)6. Payola
Is there any other word? Jeezus.
mahina
(20,439 posts)7. Making this former powerhouse firm unavailable to dems?
LetMyPeopleVote
(175,080 posts)8. Paul Weiss Grovels To Trump, Gets Out From Under Executive Order
I am disappointed in Paul Weiss
Link to tweet
https://abovethelaw.com/2025/03/paul-weiss-grovels-to-trump-gets-out-from-under-executive-order/
Well aint this some shit. Faced with an Executive Order described by the right as designed to bankrupt the firm Paul Weiss chairman Brad Karp kissed the ring of Donald Trump.
As noted by Anna Bower of Lawfare, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Karp acknowledged the wrongdoing of former partner Mark Pomeratz as part of his offering. For the record, the wrongdoing was joining Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in the successful prosecution of Donald Trump.
Karp also agreed to eliminate all DEI programs at the firm within 14 days, provide $40 million in pro bono services to Trump initiatives, and to abandon partisan decision making in its representations (whatever that means).
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:t4x2ruk2qmob2b2cx55h4v7r/post/3lktrepo5tk2l
This is all taken from Trumps post so the usual grains of salt might apply, but this is one of Trumps not-ALL-CAPS posts, which usually mean theyve been vetted and written by someone else.
As a result of this servile positioning, Trump rescinded the executive order targeting the firm.
This bodes absolutely terribly for the industry. Its an admission from one of the biggest and most powerful law firms in the nation that fighting a likely unconstitutional Executive Order in court just isnt worth it. The harm that the Trump administration can bring is too great, and the court system is unable to counter the blatant lawlessness the far right is engaged in.
As noted by Anna Bower of Lawfare, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Karp acknowledged the wrongdoing of former partner Mark Pomeratz as part of his offering. For the record, the wrongdoing was joining Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in the successful prosecution of Donald Trump.
Karp also agreed to eliminate all DEI programs at the firm within 14 days, provide $40 million in pro bono services to Trump initiatives, and to abandon partisan decision making in its representations (whatever that means).
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:t4x2ruk2qmob2b2cx55h4v7r/post/3lktrepo5tk2l
Link to tweet
This is all taken from Trumps post so the usual grains of salt might apply, but this is one of Trumps not-ALL-CAPS posts, which usually mean theyve been vetted and written by someone else.
As a result of this servile positioning, Trump rescinded the executive order targeting the firm.
This bodes absolutely terribly for the industry. Its an admission from one of the biggest and most powerful law firms in the nation that fighting a likely unconstitutional Executive Order in court just isnt worth it. The harm that the Trump administration can bring is too great, and the court system is unable to counter the blatant lawlessness the far right is engaged in.
rickyhall
(5,506 posts)9. Isn't this called Organised Crime?
UTUSN
(76,996 posts)10. So the mob heist worked again and in plain sight