US president Donald Trump has agreed to withdraw an executive order restricting one of the country’s biggest law firms from government work. On his Truth Social site, Trump today said the action against Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP had been dropped following talks with its chairman Brad Karp.
The firm has also pledged the equivalent of $40m (£31m) in pro bono legal services over the next four years to support the administration’s justice initiatives.
The president last week issued an executive order – the third in quick succession involving a law firm – barring Paul, Weiss from taking on government work. Trump accused the firm of hiring an ‘unethical attorney’ formerly with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to manufacture a prosecution against him relating to the riots on 6 January 2021.
The order directed that all government contracts with Paul, Weiss be terminated and security clearances held by its employees be immediately suspended.
Trump reversed this order after Paul, Weiss agreed to support a prepared statement. According to the president, the firm agreed ‘that the bedrock principle of American justice is that it must be fair and nonpartisan for all. Our justice system is betrayed when it is misused to achieve political ends’.
The agreement continued: ‘Lawyers abandon the profession’s highest ideals when they engage in partisan decision-making, and betray the ethical obligation to represent those who are unpopular or disfavored in a particular environment.’
Paul, Weiss affirmed its commitment to merit-based hiring, promotion, and retention, and said it will not adopt, use, or pursue any DEI policies. As part of this commitment, it will engage experts, to be mutually agreed upon within 14 days, to conduct a comprehensive audit of all of its employment practices.
Today, a statement from the White House said ‘The president is agreeing to this action in light of a meeting with Paul, Weiss chairman, Brad Karp, during which Mr Karp acknowledged the wrongdoing of former Paul, Weiss partner, Mark Pomerantz, the grave dangers of weaponisation, and the vital need to restore our system of justice.'
In response to the president’s announcement, Karp said: ‘We are gratified that the president has agreed to withdraw the executive order concerning Paul, Weiss. We look forward to an engaged and constructive relationship with the president and his administration.’
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