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President Donald Trump has reversed an executive order that suspended security clearances for lawyers and staff at powerhouse law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, just days after launching a crackdown on top legal firms with diversity policies.
According to a statement posted on Trump’s Truth Social, the New York-based firm reached a deal with the administration. The agreement includes a commitment to provide $40 million worth of free legal services over the course of Trump’s term and a pledge to drop all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The firm also agreed to review its hiring practices.
Trump said he made the decision after meeting with Paul, Weiss chairman Brad Karp, who acknowledged concerns about a former partner’s actions and broader issues of political bias in the justice system. Specifics about the alleged wrongdoing were not clarified.
This move comes after Trump previously targeted law firms Covington & Burling and Perkins Coie, suspending their employees’ security clearances due to perceived political bias and DEI policies. The Paul, Weiss deal marks the first time a firm has resolved the issue directly with Trump rather than going to court.
Paul, Weiss reportedly opted for negotiation to avoid being blacklisted, after hearing rumors that the White House had circulated a list of law firms under review.
The legal community has widely criticized the administration’s actions, with a federal judge recently stepping in to block similar measures against Perkins Coie. Still, the Trump administration has made it clear it plans to continue investigating law firms’ hiring practices, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has launched its own probe into potential discrimination.
Though it’s common for firms to offer pro bono services, the size of this deal, and the reversal of DEI policies, is unusual and signals a shift in how legal institutions may respond to pressure from a Trump-led White House.
This is the latest flashpoint in a growing clash between the Trump administration and some of the nation’s most powerful law firms.
