Former President Trump and the leader of the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP have come to an agreement, allowing Mr. Trump to revoke the executive order he previously issued against the firm, as stated by Mr. Trump on Thursday.
As part of this agreement, the firm has committed to various undertakings, including representing clients regardless of their political beliefs and providing $40 million in legal services to support causes such as aiding veterans and combating antisemitism during Mr. Trump’s presidency.
Additionally, the firm has announced it will conduct an audit to verify that its hiring practices are based on merit.
This agreement followed a direct meeting between Mr. Trump and the firm’s head, Brad Karp, at the White House earlier this week to discuss a resolution.
The White House noted that Mr. Karp had recognized “wrongdoing” by a former partner of the firm, Mark F. Pomerantz, who had previously attempted to build a criminal case against Mr. Trump while employed at the Manhattan district attorney’s office. However, the specifics of the “wrongdoing” mentioned by Mr. Trump were not clarified.
“The president has agreed to this action following a meeting with Paul, Weiss Chairman, Brad Karp, in which Mr. Karp acknowledged the misdeeds of former Paul, Weiss partner, Mark Pomerantz, as well as the serious perils of Weaponization and the critical importance of restoring our System of Justice.”
This agreement signifies a crucial step in the retribution campaign launched by Mr. Trump against several prominent law firms perceived as having aided his opponents or unjustly prosecuted him. It also illustrates how Mr. Trump has wielded his influence to secure concessions or public endorsements from corporate leaders, media organizations, and others since winning the election in November.
The arrangement is limited to the executive order regarding Paul, Weiss. Its impact on other orders directed at different firms remains uncertain, including whether it will influence Mr. Trump to reconsider his intention to target more firms.
Amid numerous allegations made by Mr. Trump and his allies against major law firms like Paul, Weiss, they have been accused of refusing to defend conservative clients, such as Mr. Trump, due to their political stances. In the discussions, Mr. Karp stated that his firm — which has provided legal support for Trump allies like Rupert Murdoch’s Fox — would represent clients irrespective of their political affiliations.
The firm boasts several partners with Democratic ties, notable former officials from the Obama administration, and one of its leading lawyers helped prepare Kamala Harris for her debates with Mr. Trump.
Under the terms of the agreement, the firm has agreed to collaborate with the Trump administration on initiatives related to veterans’ affairs, the fight against antisemitism, and promoting fairness within the justice system.
In a statement shared on social media by Mr. Trump, Mr. Karp expressed eagerness “to build an engaged and constructive relationship with the president and his administration.”
Earlier this year, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, opted to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit Mr. Trump filed in 2021 concerning the suspension of his Facebook and Instagram accounts following the January 6th riot at the Capitol, with most of the funds allocated to Mr. Trump’s prospective presidential library.
ABC News also agreed in December to provide $15 million to resolve a defamation lawsuit brought by Mr. Trump, with the proceeds similarly directed to his presidential library fund.
Mr. Trump’s executive orders targeting major law firms have introduced a new dimension to his retribution strategy, raising significant concerns among legal experts and posing potential financial challenges for these firms, thereby creating a chilling effect that discourages them from representing clients at odds with the Trump administration.
The initial executive order focused on Covington & Burling, a prominent firm that had provided legal assistance to Jack Smith, who, as special counsel under the Biden administration, had filed two federal indictments against Mr. Trump.
Last week, a federal judge in Washington determined that a subsequent executive order aimed at the law firm Perkins Coie, also aligned with Democrats, was likely unconstitutional and issued a restraining order to suspend it.
However, just two days later, Mr. Trump issued a nearly identical executive order against Paul, Weiss, stating that he was taking this step to penalize the firm for its connections to a lawyer who had advocated for his indictment and another who had initiated a lawsuit against the January 6th rioters. This order prohibited the firm’s lawyers from engaging with the federal government and created concerns that their clients might lose government contracts.
During the weekend, leaders of top law firms in New York and Washington maintained constant communication to devise a strategy in response to the situation. Various options were considered. Amidst these discussions, Paul, Weiss reached out to Bill Burck, co-managing partner at the firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, to provide representation.
Quinn Emanuel, one of the few large firms that has worked with Mr. Trump’s company and senior officials from his administration, prepared to advocate for Paul, Weiss in pursuing legal action against the president. Concurrently, Mr. Burck engaged in talks with the White House to potentially broker a deal between Mr. Karp and Mr. Trump. On Wednesday, Mr. Karp met with Mr. Trump in the Oval Office to discuss terms for an agreement.
In the days following, White House aides and Mr. Karp finalized the agreement’s terms.
