Trump Executive Order Places Law Firm on the Spot, Firm Makes Deal to Stay Afloat

Paul Weiss chairman Brad Karp has disclosed that the law firm had been confronted with an “existential crisis” following a menacing executive order issued by President Donald Trump. The order, targeted at Trump-related law firms connected to Trump-bashing legal work, would have led to suspending the lawyers of such firms’ security clearances as well as terminating government contracts with them. The move was an extension of involvement of former attorney Mark Pomerantz in Trump’s pre-presidency investigation of his finances.

In an attempt to prevent these repercussions, Karp brokered a deal with the White House in which the firm would render $40 million worth of pro bono legal work advancing the Trump administration’s agenda. This action has caused outcry in the legal profession, with critics condemning the firm for buckling to presidential pressure. In spite of the blistering criticism, Karp maintained that the survival of the firm was threatened, and it was possible that challenging the order could have resulted in irreparable harm. This is one of a trend where various institutions have chosen to compromise with the Trump administration instead of risking possible retribution.