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President Donald Trump announced Friday that five major law firms have agreed to provide more than $600 million in free legal services to causes supported by his administration — in exchange for avoiding punitive executive orders.
The deals mark a dramatic escalation in Trump’s campaign to reshape the legal industry and extract concessions from law firms perceived as politically opposed to his administration.
$600M in Pro Bono Work, DEI Disavowals, and Political Neutrality Clauses
Under the agreements, the law firms — Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling US LLP, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft — will provide between $100 million and $125 million each in pro bono legal services. The legal work will target Trump-endorsed issues such as veterans’ affairs and combating antisemitism.
In exchange, the Trump administration has withdrawn Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigations into the firms’ hiring practices. These probes were aimed at uncovering whether diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies violated federal anti-discrimination laws.
Additionally, the law firms agreed to:
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Disavow any “illegal” DEI-based hiring practices.
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Accept clients without regard to political beliefs.
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Reaffirm a nonpartisan, merit-based hiring philosophy.
“It is consistent with the values that underpin our firm and cement us together,” Kirkland & Ellis’ executive committee wrote in an internal memo.
The other firms have not commented publicly.
Trump’s Legal Pressure Campaign
This marks the latest in a wave of executive orders from Trump targeting high-profile legal institutions and law firms. The orders have threatened:
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Security clearance revocations for firm employees
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Bans from federal buildings
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Termination of federal contracts
While some firms — such as WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, and Jenner & Block — have won court rulings halting the orders, others have chosen to settle with the White House rather than face operational chaos.
Earlier this year, Paul Weiss became the first law firm to strike a deal, offering $40 million in pro bono work in exchange for the White House rescinding sanctions.
Since then, other firms — including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, and Milbank— have followed suit.
Lawsuits and Legal Backlash Mount
Not all firms are bowing to pressure. On Friday night, Susman Godfrey — which won a $787 million defamation case against Fox News over its 2020 election coverage — filed suit in Washington, D.C., arguing that the White House is retaliating against firms involved in litigation against Trump.
“The President is abusing the powers of his office to wield the might of the Executive Branch in retaliation,” the firm wrote in its complaint.
Legal Experts Alarmed by Scope and Precedent
Legal scholars and civil liberties advocates have expressed alarm at the broad and punitive nature of Trump’s orders, as well as the implications of his administration coercing private firms into ideological and financial concessions.
Critics argue that the president’s approach violates the First Amendment, weaponizes federal power for political ends, and sets a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
Meanwhile, the DEI stipulations have reignited the national debate around affirmative action, merit-based hiring, and political litmus tests in professional spaces.
What’s Next?
With several court cases pending, and more firms reportedly in negotiations with the administration, Trump’s approach to reshaping the legal world shows no sign of slowing down. For now, the deals signal a growing compliance within the legal elite — and a chilling message to those unwilling to fall in line.
As legal and political pressure mounts, all eyes will be on the next firm to either fight or fold under the Trump administration’s unorthodox — and potentially unconstitutional — tactics.
