Left: President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci). Right: Former special counsel Robert Mueller appears before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on his report on Russian election interference, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2019 (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik).
The latest law firm targeted by Donald Trump for allegedly working against the president’s interests is apparently back in the administration’s good graces after agreeing to provide free legal services to the White House.
As Law&Crime previously reported, on March 14 the 45th and 47th president issued an executive order labeling the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as a national security threat. The firm has been linked to former special counsel Robert Mueller, who led the investigation into alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential election. The order raised a familiar list of grievances related to lawsuits sparked by the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and Trump’s criminal prosecution in Manhattan, and it accused the firm of racial discrimination and touted the Trump administration’s efforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
The order directed government agencies to require contractors to “disclose any business they do with Paul Weiss” and take steps to terminate those contracts.
On Thursday evening, Trump announced on his social media platform that he had “agreed to withdraw” the Paul Weiss executive order after the firm made an agreement with the president.
According to Trump’s post, that agreement included the following terms:
1. Paul, Weiss agrees that the bedrock principle of American Justice is that it must be fair and nonpartisan for all. Our Justice System is betrayed when it is misused to achieve political ends.
Lawyers and law firms play a vital role in ensuring that we live up to that standard as a Nation. Law firms should not favor any political party when it comes to choosing their clients. Firms also should not make decisions on whom to hire based on a person’s political affiliation. To do otherwise is to deny some Americans an equal opportunity for our services while favoring others.
Lawyers abandon the profession’s highest ideals when they engage in partisan decision-making, and betray the ethical obligation to represent those who are unpopular or disfavored in a particular environment.
2. Paul, Weiss affirms its unwavering commitment to these core ideals and principles, and will not deny representation to clients, including in pro bono matters and in support of non-profits, because of the personal political views of individual lawyers.
3. Paul, Weiss will take on a wide range of pro bono matters that represent the full spectrum of political viewpoints of our society, whether “conservative” or “liberal.”
4. Paul, Weiss affirms its commitment to merit-based hiring, promotion, and retention, and will not adopt, use, or pursue any DEI policies. As part of its commitment, it will engage experts, to be mutually agreed upon within 14 days, to conduct a comprehensive audit of all of its employment practices.
5. Paul, Weiss will dedicate the equivalent of $40 million in pro bono legal services over the course of President Trump’s term to support the Administration’s initiatives, including: assisting our Nation’s veterans, fairness in the Justice System, the President’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, and other mutually agreed projects.
“The President is agreeing to this action in light of a meeting with Paul, Weiss Chairman, Brad Karp, during which Mr. Karp acknowledged the wrongdoing of former Paul, Weiss partner, Mark Pomerantz, the grave dangers of Weaponization, and the vital need to restore our System of Justice,” the post also said. Pomerantz had previously led the criminal investigation into Trump and his businesses in New York.
Trump’s post credits Paul Weiss chairman Brad Karp with saying that “[w]e 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.”
Trump’s Paul Weiss executive order — targeting a law firm linked to the president’s perceived enemies — was the third of its kind. Earlier in March, he issued an executive order aimed at Hillary Clinton-linked law firm Perkins Coie, and in February he targeted the firm Covington & Burling, linked to former special prosecutor Jack Smith.
The announcement appeared to have an immediate effect on at least one other high-profile law firm: a Chicago-based associate of Skadden Arps announced her resignation on Thursday, citing “Paul Weiss’ decision to cave to the Trump administration on DEI, representation and staffing” as having “forced [her] hand].”
A representative from Paul, Weiss did not immediately respond to Law&Crime’s request for comment.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
