In a striking move on March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump secured a major concession from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, a prestigious New York-based law firm known for its Democratic-leaning clientele and involvement in high-profile legal battles against him. Trump had issued an executive order on March 14, targeting the firm for its alleged role in “lawfare”—a term often used to describe the strategic use of legal proceedings to target political opponents. The order threatened to strip Paul Weiss of security clearances, limit its lawyers’ access to government buildings, and terminate federal contracts with its clients, citing the firm’s past actions, including former partner Mark Pomerantz’s involvement in the Manhattan DA’s investigation into Trump’s hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels. Facing significant pressure, Paul Weiss Chairman Brad Karp met with Trump, resulting in the firm agreeing to a series of humiliating terms to have the order rescinded, a move that has since drawn sharp criticism from the legal community.
 

As part of the deal, Paul Weiss was forced to publicly acknowledge the “wrongdoing” of Pomerantz, effectively admitting to what Trump framed as lawfare guilt, a narrative that paints the firm as having weaponized the legal system against him. The firm also committed to taking on conservative clients, promising to represent a “full spectrum of political viewpoints” in its pro bono work, a stark departure from its historically liberal-leaning practice. Additionally, Paul Weiss pledged $40 million in pro bono legal services over Trump’s term to support White House initiatives, including causes like combating antisemitism and assisting veterans—projects aligned with Trump’s agenda but seen by critics as a capitulation to his demands. The agreement also required the firm to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, aligning with Trump’s broader campaign against such initiatives, further underscoring the extent of the firm’s concessions under pressure.
 

The fallout from this deal has been intense, with many in the legal profession viewing it as a profound humiliation for Paul Weiss, a firm once celebrated for its civil rights advocacy and independence. Critics argue that the firm’s decision to bend to Trump’s demands—rather than fight the executive order in court—sets a dangerous precedent, emboldening the administration to target other firms and eroding the autonomy of the legal system. Posts on X reflect this sentiment, with users calling the move “shameful” and “spineless,” and some lawyers, like Rachel Cohen from Skadden Arps, even resigning from their own firms in protest of the broader trend of capitulation. While Trump hailed the agreement as a victory, claiming it restored “fairness” to the justice system, the episode has raised serious questions about the vulnerability of legal institutions to political pressure, especially when a firm as powerful as Paul Weiss opts to comply rather than resist.