President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he would be retracting an executive order aimed at law firm Paul Weiss. The firm has reportedly admitted the misconduct of an attorney involved in investigating the president and has committed to providing $40 million worth of pro bono legal services to support his administration. This unexpected decision follows a meeting between Trump and Paul Weiss’ chairman, Brad Karp.
During the meeting, Karp acknowledged the wrongdoing of Mark Pomerantz, a former partner at the firm who was part of the Manhattan district attorney’s probe into Trump’s payments to a porn star. Trump stated that Paul Weiss has agreed that justice must be fair and impartial for all.
Pomerantz, who was with Paul Weiss until 2022, denied any wrongdoing in a statement, emphasizing his commitment to upholding the rule of law. The firm has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The executive order against Paul Weiss, which had suspended the firm’s lawyers’ security clearances and restricted their access to government facilities and officials due to their diversity policies and association with Pomerantz, has now been rescinded by Trump. In return, the firm has pledged to provide $40 million in free legal services towards administration priorities and has agreed to audit and remove any diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
Trump has been critical of diversity initiatives in both the public and private sectors, accusing them of being discriminatory. The White House revealed that the administration had requested detailed information on diversity initiatives and demographics from 20 major law firms.
In contrast to the resolution with Paul Weiss, another firm, Perkins Coie, had taken legal action against the administration following a similar executive order. A judge temporarily blocked parts of the Perkins Coie order, expressing that the firm was likely to succeed in its lawsuit alleging constitutional violations by Trump.
Paul Weiss, known for its work in corporate deals for financial giants and high-stakes litigation for tech clients, has faced consequences due to Trump’s order, including losing a client in a bribery case. The firm’s chairman, Karp, has supported Trump’s 2024 election opponent Kamala Harris. Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch is among the firm’s partners.
The companies associated with Paul Weiss did not offer immediate comments in response to the situation.
Paul Weiss, deeply entrenched in the legal industry, was likely apprehensive about losing clients. “There was no established strategy for handling this situation,” remarked a source. (Reporting by Jasper Ward and Mike Scarcella; Editing by Daniel Wallis, David Bario, Gerry Doyle, and Stephen Coates)
