America’s most powerful law firms are competing to protect businesses from Donald Trump’s rage after attempts to rally and conform to the industry were erode by Paul Weiss’ surrender.
The company leader scrambled on Monday, reassuring key clients that White House hostility wouldn’t undermine their ability to effectively represent them. Legal practices of all sizes are “scary of death” to be next in line, said one senior lawyer who spoke with top partners in several companies.
“Everyone has to attract outside lawyers for that and everyone has to come up with a PR statement about it,” said the top Wall Street lawyer. “That’s a real anxiety.”
Over the past few weeks, Trump has issued executive orders targeting Perkins Coie and Paul Weiss, as well as the Washington-based directives against Covington & Burling.
Paul Weiss handles complex lawsuits with Megadeals, but has a storied history in favour of progressive causes. The partnership ranks stocked by former Democrat officials, a leading fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidates, generating more than $1 million for Kamala Harris and the Democratic National Committee last year.
Last week, succumbing to Trump’s demands, Brad Carp in the chair claimed that Paul Weiss’ survival was at risk. Meanwhile, the much smaller Perkins carp continues to fight orders against it in court.
Fear that more executive orders targeting legal groups could continue, especially for any legal group that has ties to many of Trump’s past legal enemies, has recently spread.
Elon Musk, one of Trump’s closest allies, attacked New York’s Skaden Arks in a post on Sunday evening in an X, filming a pro bono case against right-wing provocateur Dinesh Douza, boosting speculation that Skaden could be next.
Wilmer Hale, who worked for the DNC, partnered oversaw the investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and counted Robert Mueller, a special adviser representing ministers fired by Trump. Wilmerhale’s lawyers tell their allies they are afraid they will become targets as well. Still, the company prepares Trump candidates for a Senate confirmation hearing and works to represent lawsuits against the Democratic administration.
A representative of Skadden did not respond to requests for comment. Wilmer declined to comment.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump insisted that “some people want to make a settlement,” adding that “the biggest companies” have come back realised they’re wrong.” Legal practices “have to behave yourself.”
The Financial Times reached out to more than 30 corporate lawyers and people close to the legal community for the story, but only 12 people agreed to speak anonymously due to concerns about retaliation from the president and his peers.
Some legal groups are competing to hire lawyers or lobbyists alongside Trump in the hopes of neutralizing the administrative attack. Several elite groups have cut references from their websites to progressive causes, Democrats, or diversity, equity and inclusion programs, fearing further scrutiny from the White House.
Carp’s resolution decision has been criticized by Paul Weiss insiders and alumni, as well as the wider industry. It fears Trump will be on fire to attack other practices and ultimately threaten the entire American legal system. More than 100 former Paul Weiss employees signed a letter to KARP on Monday to protest the deal.
Robbie Kaplan, former Paul Weiss partner who continued to represent E-Jean Carroll in a successful case against Trump, vowed through her company on Monday to “stolen and fight for our clients and our principles.” Kaplan Martin is one of the few legal organizations that will make public statements on the issue – adding that it will alliance with legal practices “dedicated to defending the highest ideals of our profession.”
“I don’t think they had a gun on their heads. I think they had a difficult choice to make,” said Illinois executive director of the nonprofit common cause, Illinois, and Illinois executive director, Elizabeth Grossman, a former Paul Weiss associate who helped organize the open letters that sparked Culp’s resolution decision. “I think it was very selfish. They were thinking about their revenues and not the rule of law and the US or whatever this would affect people with fewer resources.”
Several of the KARP peers of other legal groups criticized his surrender and argued that as a well-connected longtime leader of one of the nation’s most elite practices, he is better than most people to bring together lawyers who oppose the regime’s excesses.
Others questioned Karp’s claim in an email Sunday that “the executive order could have easily destroyed our company.” Paul Weiss and some of his rivals said clients had limited options to jump to other practices given the widespread nature of Trump’s attack, and that the industry moved slowly to the KARP company immediately put them at risk.
Other best lawyers defended Karp, arguing that the risk of losing a client is realistic as most companies try to avoid Trump’s crosshairs. Under the executive order, clients of practice faced potential losses in government contracts. The practice, which earned $2.6 billion last year, counts Goldman Sachs, Apollo Global Management, Exxon and the National Football League on a wide range of client rosters.
“Brad Carp is a sacrificial lamb and with the grand scheme of things it’s a pretty good deal,” said a top corporate lawyer for a rival group. “Trump asked him to do $40 million pro bono work on anti-Semitism.
Another rival said that while the Carp tried to build a coalition of companies to fight, others were slow to support the cause.
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“When Brad first got the executive order, there was this move to sign petitions, sign Amicus briefs and have everyone show up,” People said. “Then everyone started asking, ‘Who else is signing?’ And no one wanted to step up, so Brad went on his own to cut back on his deals. ”
The “just a handful” group were willing to eventually put their names on the joint brief, another well-versed in the effort said.
“So there’s not much backbone in general,” the source said. “So what we are seeing is how little backbone there is among law firms.
