Biglaw’s Craven Capitulation To Trump Now Under Congressional Scrutiny

There’s a growing list of Biglaw firms willing to sell out the rule of law in order save their own skin. And those firms will have some ‘spaining to do.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, sent letters to Paul Weiss, Skadden, Milbank, Kirkland & Ellis, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Willkie Farr asking some pointed questions about the deals struck to get our from under — or avoid entirely — Donald Trump’s likely unconstitutional Executive Orders targeting Biglaw firms.

As the letters read, “If every law firm targeted by the President were to accede to his unlawful demands, the resulting threat to Americans’ constitutional protections would erode our democratic values and cherished civil liberties, as well as cost the legal profession dearly and for many years to come.”

Of interest is S&C’s inclusion on this list. That firm has not struck a deal with the administration, but firm co-chair Robert Giuffra was reportedly involved with brokering the deal between Paul Weiss and Trump. And that strikes Blumenthal and Raskin as particularly unsavory, “Mr. Giuffra’s role in this patently unlawful government action undertaken against a competitor is especially concerning given that Mr. Giuffra also serves as personal counsel to President Trump.”

As reported by Law.com, the letter to Kirkland and S&C also ask some tough questions about whether they sought to lure talent and/or clients from Paul Weiss when that firm was targeted by Trump:

“Your firm’s reported conduct—seeking to profit from President Trump’s unconstitutional attacks on the rule of law by trying to lure away Paul, Weiss lawyers, apparently prioritizing short-term profits over principle and professional obligation—would, if true, represent a failure to stand in defense of the rule of law,” the letter to Kirkland reads.

Letters to both Kirkland and Sullivan specifically ask who at the firm contacted attorneys at Paul Weiss in the aftermath of the executive order targeting the firm, as well as if any recruitment efforts were coordinated among the firm’s leadership.

Both S&C and Kirkland have forcefully denied the allegation they tried to poach attorney or clients from Paul Weiss in the wake of that EO.

The letter seeks details about the deals that have been announced by the firms, including the terms of the deals and their interactions with other firms regarding the deals.

You can follow Biglaw’s response to Trump’s EOs below.