Law Firm's Strategic Retreat: Survival Over Principled Stand

Brad Karp, chairman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Garrison & Wharton, reached an agreement with President Donald Trump, avoiding the repercussions of a White House executive order that threatened the firm's viability. The order targeted the firm due to former attorney Mark Pomerantz's involvement in a financial investigation of Trump.

The firm agreed to provide $40 million in pro bono legal services supporting the Trump administration's agenda, along with abandoning diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations in hiring practices. This decision has sparked criticism within the legal community, accusing the firm of yielding to Trump's demands instead of resisting.

Karp described the executive order as an existential threat, fearing the firm couldn't withstand a prolonged confrontation with the administration. Efforts by other law firms to exploit the situation compounded the challenge, leading to a swift negotiation for the firm's survival.