U.S. President announced the withdrawal of an executive order targeting the law firm Paul Weiss, stating that the firm "acknowledged the wrongdoing" of an attorney involved in the president's investigation and committed to providing $40 million in pro bono legal services to support the administration.
This unexpected decision follows a meeting between the president and Paul Weiss chairman Brad Karp. During this meeting, Karp admitted to the misconduct of Mark Pomerantz, an attorney at the New York firm who participated in the Manhattan District Attorney's investigation related to claims concerning a porn star.
"Paul Weiss agrees that the bedrock principle of American justice is that it must be fair and nonpartisan for all," said Trump.
Pomerantz, who left Paul Weiss in 2022, stated, “I engaged in no wrongdoing by working as a prosecutor to uphold the rule of law."
In the past, Trump's actions against Paul Weiss had resulted in suspensions of the firm's lawyers' security clearances and limitations on their access to government facilities, driven by the firm’s diversity policies and its connection to Pomerantz.
On Thursday, Trump announced that Paul Weiss committed to contribute $40 million in pro bono legal support during his term, focusing on priorities like combating antisemitism and assisting veterans. Additionally, the firm agreed to review its employment practices and eliminate any diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Trump's administration has waged a campaign against DEI practices, claiming they are discriminatory. Recently, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued requests for detailed information from 20 major law firms regarding their diversity initiatives and demographic data.
The rapprochement between Trump and Paul Weiss starkly contrasts with the actions of Perkins Coie, which filed a lawsuit against the administration after receiving a similar executive order. A judge recently ruled on parts of the Perkins Coie order, suggesting the firm had a strong case alleging that Trump’s actions violated its constitutional rights.
Paul Weiss' chairman Karp previously supported Trump’s 2024 election opponent, Kamala Harris, and the firm’s partners include Loretta Lynch, the former U.S. Attorney General under the Obama administration. Paul Weiss is known for managing corporate deals for major financial entities and handling significant litigation for tech industry giants.
In a recent court proceeding in New Jersey, Paul Weiss indicated that it was defending itself in a bribery case due to the president's order. Perkins Coie's lawsuit claimed that seven of its clients departed the firm as a result of the order.
Leslie Levin, a law professor at the University of Connecticut and an expert on the legal profession, suggested that Paul Weiss may have been concerned about losing clients. “There was no playbook for how to deal with this,” she observed.