Five outstanding law firms facing potential punitive actions on Friday reached a deal with the White House to provide $600 million in free legal services for reasons for the president’s support.
Trump said four of these companies — Kirkland and Ellis, Latham & Watkins, A&O Shearman and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett — all agreed to offer $125 million in Pro Bono or free legal work. The fifth company, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, agreed to provide at least $100 million in unpaid work.
Through the latest round of deals, some of the largest companies in the legal world have agreed to provide $940 million in free legal services over the past month to support the Trump administration’s favored causes, including those with “conservative ideals.”
Mr. Trump announced a deal between his administration and law firm on Friday on the Truth Society owned by his social media company, Trump Media & Technology Group.
Each company’s top lawyers provided a statement to the White House that was included in social media posts. Earlier this week, the New York Times reported on negotiations with four companies.
The deals were announced within a week, with Mr. Trump speaking in the Oval Office openly about using the companies he reached to help reach agreements with other countries and even engaged in coal rental deals.
Mr. Trump did not specifically mention potential work on trade agreements or coal lease agreements in his social media posts. Instead, the posts say the companies will provide free legal work for things like anti-Semitism, helping Venus families, assisting law enforcement and “ensure that our judicial system is fair.”
These terms are similar to those previously announced by Mr. Trump with Paul, Weiss, Rifkin, Walton and the garrison. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Willkie Farr & Gallagher; and Millbank.
Law firms are settling with the Trump administration to enforce orders, which will make it difficult for them to represent clients on federal contracts or seek approval from government regulators. But some companies are fighting Mr. Trump’s executive orders in federal court, claiming that the orders are unconstitutional and a form of revenge for positions he doesn’t like. The judge temporarily continued the orders that went into effect against Perkins Coie, Wilmerhale and Jenner & Block.
The fourth company, Susman Godfrey, was hit by executive orders this week and became the latest company in the Trump administration. The company filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington late Friday in an attempt to prevent the order from taking effect.
Attorneys from Munger, Tolles & Olson participated in the lawsuit. Munger is the same company that helped organize court summary filed by 500 law firms in support of Perkins Coie. But only a few large law firms apply for signing the law.
Susman, on behalf of the voting machine manufacturer Dominion Voting System, conducted a major defamation case against Fox News. The conservative cable news channel agreed to pay $787.5 million to Dominion to resolve the lawsuit. Dominion spreads lawsuits over the role of cable networks in the 2020 election, and Trump repeatedly said it was his role in the 2020 election.
Susman's 66-page complaint begins: “If President Trump's execution orders are allowed to endure, future presidents will not face restrictions when trying to retaliate against different enemies.” “For two centuries, the pale range will become the new norm. In short, this may be alone.”
Mr. Trump is pursuing law firms that hire lawyers he considers a political enemy, representing reasons why he opposes or refuses to represent the people because of their conservative and right-wing political beliefs. Some companies are also targeting their recruitment behaviors, which promote the principle of having a diverse workforce.
The president repeatedly said that diversity, equity and inclusion policies in recruitment are illegal and discriminatory and he intends to get rid of them. The Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sent a letter to 20 law firms last month asking for information on their DEI practices.
Four companies that reached a deal with Mr. Trump — Kirkland, Latham, Shearman and Simpson Thacher — all received one of the letters. Mr Trump said that when he settled, the EEOC had agreed not to file a claim against the four companies. Later that day, EEOC announced a separate settlement with four companies.
Law professors and others in the legal profession praised the companies that are criticizing the government's struggles that settled companies. critic said settled law firms succumbed to government pressure strategies. Each new settlement will only encourage Mr. Trump to be braver about his demands on free legal work.
Harold Hongju Koh, professor of international law at Yale Law School, said the Trump administration appears to be thinking that “legal applicants or conscripts to develop wars” to do so.
“Every kid is learning in the school yard and if you get stuck in a bully, they’ll go back to what’s bullying you,” Mr. Co said.
