President Donald Trump reached a settlement deal with an international law firm his administration had threatened with sanctions.
Trump announced on Tuesday that law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, which is home to former second gentleman Doug Emhoff, committed to $100 million in pro bono legal work to causes such as supporting veterans and combating antisemitism.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher is one of several law firms that has reached a deal with the Trump administration in recent weeks, with others pursuing legal action.
“Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP proactively reached out to President Trump and his Administration, offering their decisive commitment to ending the Weaponization of the Justice System and the Legal Profession,” a White House statement shared by Trump on Truth Social said. “The President is delivering on his promises of eradicating Partisan Lawfare in America, and restoring Liberty and Justice FOR ALL.”
Trump said that the firm has agreed to provide the pro bono work, eliminate any DEI or non-merit based hiring, and that it will not deny clients “who have not historically received Legal representation from major National Law Firms.” Such terms have been common in the deals the Trump administration has reached with other offices.
“We reached an agreement with President Trump and his Administration on matters of great importance to our Firm,” Thomas Cerabino, chairman of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, said.
“The substance of that agreement is consistent with our Firm’s views on access to Legal representation by clients, including pro bono clients, our commitment to complying with the Law as it relates to our employment practices, and our history of working with clients across a wide spectrum of political viewpoints,” he added. “The Firm looks forward to having a constructive relationship with the Trump Administration, and remains committed to serving the needs of our clients, our employees, and the communities of which we are a part.”
Emhoff had told leadership that he disagreed with seeking a deal with the Trump administration, according to Bloomberg, which cited a source familiar with the discussions. “The rule of law is under attack,” he told students at a Tuesday event at Georgetown Law School before the deal. “Democracy is under attack. And so, all of us lawyers need to do what we can to push back on that.”
The law firm’s leaders defended the deal in an internal email viewed by the outlet.
“We were invited to contact the Administration on Sunday, and they outlined a proposed alternative to receiving an Executive Order,” the firm’s executive committee members said in the email. “In making this difficult decision, we concluded, after due consideration of the implications of each possible course of action, that accepting the Administration’s final proposal was the path that best serves our clients’ needs and protects the Firm’s various stakeholders, avoiding potentially grave consequences.”
HERE ARE THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT HAVE BEEN STRUCK DOWN
In addition to employing Emhoff, Willkie Farr & Gallagher also employs Timothy Heaphy, who was chief investigative counsel for the congressional committee that probed the Jan. 6, 2023, storming of the Capitol.
Willkie is the third major law firm to reach a deal with Trump, following Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
