#skadden

Alex Samuels at Daily Kos:

Turns out, working hand-in-hand with President Donald Trump—especially when it means helping ram through his unconstitutional agenda—has its downsides. Just ask the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Garrison & Wharton. According to a new report in The Wall Street Journal, some of the nation’s top law firms that caved to Trump’s pressure campaign are now facing serious backlash from their own clients. Corporate clients are pulling out, shifting work elsewhere, and openly questioning whether these firms can be trusted to represent them. It’s a fair concern: How can you fight for your clients if you can’t even fight for yourself? Since Trump returned to office, at least nine major firms have folded, with many agreeing to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in pro bono services in causes that the Trump administration supports. The immediate reward is that those firms dodge sanctions and stay in Trump’s good graces, at least temporarily. But the longer-term cost is steep: They’re bleeding clients. McDonald’s, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, and Oracle are among those scaling back, speaking out, or walking away entirely from these Trump-aligned firms. One firm stopped representing McDonald’s just months before a major trial. Another got a written rebuke from Microsoft.

Paul Weiss has become a case study in capitulation. One general counsel told the Journal she felt “physically ill” when the firm, once threatened by Trump, cut a deal in March. In exchange for avoiding sanctions that could have impacted its clients’ federal contracts, the firm pledged $40 million in free legal help for causes aligned with Trump’s agenda. And they’re not alone. Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Skadden, Milbank, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, A&O Shearman, and Cadwalader have all made similar pledges. Together, these concessions add up to roughly $1 billion in legal services for a president who regularly tramples the rule of law. Even Willkie Farr & Gallagher, where former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff now works, couldn’t resist. According to The New York Times, Emhoff urged leadership to stand firm. They didn’t.

President Trump’s acting chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Monday sent letters to 20 law firms requesting information about their diversity, equity and inclusion-related employment practices, the latest Trump administration assault on private law firms. In letters to prominent firms, including Perkins Coie, Latham & Watkins, Kirkland & Ellis and Sidley Austin, the…

On Saturday, May 19, at Skadden, AABANY Board members, along with a few Committee Co-Chairs, took part in our first Board Retreat. We began with a Board meeting, followed by the Retreat, at which President James Cho and President-Elect Brian Song shared their visions for AABANY in the next couple of years. James then led everyone in strategic planning for the next few years, using work done last year during Dwight’s presidency as a launching off point. The attendees divided up into four working groups to work on specific goals, and then came back together to discuss what each group came up with as possible next steps to advance each of the goals.

Thanks to the Board Officers and Directors and Committee Chairs and leaders that joined us on a Saturday afternoon to help plan AABANY’s next few years. Thanks to Dwight and Skadden for hosting us.

New Post has been published on https://www.hagmannreport.com/from-the-wires/russia-probe-may-implicate-one-of-the-biggest-names-in-law/

Russia Probe May Implicate One Of The Biggest Names In Law