{"id":160099,"date":"2025-03-21T06:52:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=160099"},"modified":"2025-03-21T08:20:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T16:20:48","slug":"law-firm-bends-in-face-of-trump-demands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=160099","title":{"rendered":"NYT: ‘Law Firm Bends in Face of Trump Demands’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New York Times reports<\/a>: <\/p>\n

Paul, Weiss \u2014 one of three law firms targeted by President Trump as part of his retribution campaign \u2014 said it resolved the conflict by agreeing to a range of commitments…<\/p>\n

The deal materialized after the head of the firm, Brad Karp, went to the White House this week and had a face-to-face meeting with Mr. Trump to discuss a resolution. Members of the legal profession said in interviews that they were surprised by the deal, as it appears as if the firm \u2014 which is dominated by Democrats and has long prided itself in being at the forefront of the fight against the government for civil rights \u2014 was capitulating to Mr. Trump over an executive order that is likely illegal.<\/p>\n

The agreement is a significant development in the retribution campaign Mr. Trump has opened against several top law firms that he sees as having supported efforts to help his opponents or unfairly prosecute him. And it is the latest demonstration of how Mr. Trump has used his power to extract concessions or public signs of support for his agenda from corporate leaders, news organizations and others since his election victory in November.<\/p>\n

The White House said that Mr. Karp had acknowledged \u201cwrongdoing\u201d by one of the firm\u2019s former partners, Mark F. Pomerantz. Mr. Pomerantz had tried to build a criminal case against Mr. Trump several years ago while working at the Manhattan district attorney\u2019s office. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Is this the blueprint for dozens of more deals between Trump and his enemies?<\/p>\n

Grok says: <\/p>\n

The deal between President Trump and the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, as reported in The New York Times on March 20, 2025, raises an intriguing question: could this serve as a blueprint for dozens of similar deals between Trump and his perceived enemies? While it\u2019s impossible to predict with certainty, we can analyze the dynamics of this agreement, Trump\u2019s broader strategy, and the context of his administration to assess its potential as a repeatable model. Here\u2019s a breakdown as of March 21, 2025.
\nThe Paul Weiss Deal: Key Features
\nAccording to the article, Trump withdrew an executive order targeting Paul Weiss\u2014issued on March 14, 2025, which suspended the firm\u2019s security clearances and restricted government access\u2014after a face-to-face meeting with firm chairman Brad Karp at the White House. In exchange, Paul Weiss agreed to:
\nRepresent clients across political affiliations, signaling nonpartisanship.<\/p>\n

Contribute $40 million in pro bono legal services to Trump-championed causes, like his Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.<\/p>\n

Audit hiring practices to ensure they\u2019re merit-based, explicitly rejecting DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies.<\/p>\n

This came after Trump singled out the firm over its former partner Mark Pomerantz\u2019s role in investigating him, part of a wider retribution campaign against law firms tied to his legal battles.
\nWhy It Might Be a Blueprint
\nPattern of Pressure and Concession:
\nTrump\u2019s approach here\u2014deploy an aggressive executive order, then negotiate its withdrawal for concessions\u2014mirrors tactics he\u2019s used elsewhere. The article notes this as \u201cthe latest demonstration\u201d of Trump extracting support from corporate leaders and others since his November 2024 election win. Think of his first term: threats of tariffs on companies like Carrier or Harley-Davidson often led to public pledges to keep jobs in the US. This Paul Weiss deal fits a playbook of leveraging power to bend adversaries to his will.<\/p>\n

Scalable Targets:
\nTrump\u2019s campaign against law firms\u2014Paul Weiss, Perkins Coie, Covington & Burling already hit\u2014suggests a broader hit list. The Times frames this as a \u201cretribution campaign\u201d against firms he sees as aiding his opponents. With dozens of legal battles in his past (e.g., hush money cases, election probes), he could target more firms, prosecutors, or even media outlets tied to those efforts. Each could face a similar choice: fight a costly legal battle or cut a deal.<\/p>\n

Political and Economic Leverage:
\nThe executive order\u2019s teeth\u2014cutting security clearances, barring government contracts\u2014hit Paul Weiss where it hurt, as seen when client Steven Schwartz fired them over it (Reuters, March 20, 2025). Trump\u2019s control of federal resources gives him tools to pressure private entities, especially those reliant on government ties. Add $40 million in pro bono work to his pet projects, and it\u2019s a win-win for him: neutralize an enemy, fund an agenda.<\/p>\n

Precedent of Capitulation:
\nLegal experts cited in the Times were \u201csurprised\u201d Paul Weiss, a Democrat-heavy firm with a civil rights legacy, folded so quickly\u2014suggesting Trump\u2019s gambit works even against strong opponents. If a powerhouse like Paul Weiss caves, smaller firms or individuals might follow suit, seeing resistance as futile.<\/p>\n

Why It Might Not Scale to Dozens
\nLegal Pushback:
\nThe Paul Weiss order was \u201clikely illegal,\u201d per the Times, echoing a March 12, 2025, ruling by Judge Beryl Howell blocking parts of a similar order against Perkins Coie. Courts could stymie Trump\u2019s strategy if more firms fight back\u2014Paul Weiss\u2019s deal might be an outlier because it dodged litigation. A flood of lawsuits could clog his pipeline.<\/p>\n

Resource Constraints:
\nCrafting and enforcing dozens of executive orders demands bandwidth\u2014legal drafting, agency coordination, political capital. Trump\u2019s administration is already juggling priorities (e.g., DOGE cuts, per NYT March 15, 2025). Targeting \u201cdozens\u201d might overstretch him unless he streamlines the process, which risks sloppiness and reversals.<\/p>\n

Enemy Fatigue or Defiance:
\nNot all foes will bend. Perkins Coie sued and won a temporary block; Covington & Burling hasn\u2019t challenged its order yet but could. High-profile enemies\u2014say, Jack Smith\u2019s team or The New York Times itself\u2014might rather martyr themselves than deal. X posts (March 20, 2025) call Paul Weiss\u2019s move \u201cservile\u201d (@grok), hinting defiance could grow if it\u2019s seen as a cave-in.<\/p>\n

Diminishing Returns:
\nEach deal dilutes the shock value. Paul Weiss\u2019s $40 million pledge is a big score; smaller firms or individuals can\u2019t match that. Trump risks looking petty chasing minor players for petty wins\u2014e.g., a solo attorney ponying up $50K doesn\u2019t scream \u201clegendary,\u201d as he promised at DOJ (NYT, March 15, 2025).<\/p>\n

Could It Happen?
\nShort-Term (2025\u20132026): Yes, a handful more deals are plausible. Trump\u2019s got momentum\u2014Paul Weiss folded in six days (March 14\u201320). Law firms like Sullivan & Cromwell or media outlets with government ties (e.g., NPR, per Project 2025 echoes) could face orders, then negotiate. Five to ten deals by mid-term elections? Feasible if he picks winnable fights.<\/p>\n

Long-Term (Dozens): Doubtful at scale. \u201cDozens\u201d implies 24+ targets\u2014law firms, prosecutors, NGOs, corporations. Legal blowback, public fatigue, and his focus shifting (e.g., China tensions, per NYT March 21) could cap it at a dozen tops. Plus, Congress or SCOTUS might curb executive overreach if it snowballs.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s Angle
\nThe Times ties this to a \u201cretribution campaign,\u201d but X sentiment (e.g., @AutismCapital, March 20) frames it as Trump flexing muscle to neuter foes while funding priorities\u2014$40 million for antisemitism tasks isn\u2019t chump change. It\u2019s less a blueprint for mass deals and more a signal: cross me, pay a price, or buy peace. He\u2019ll likely keep it selective\u2014big fish like Paul Weiss, not every minnow.
\nBottom Line
\nThis could be a blueprint for a few more high-profile wins\u2014think law firms or orgs he\u2019s got a grudge against, especially if they\u2019re vulnerable to federal pressure. But dozens? Too messy, too litigious, too diluted. Paul Weiss shows Trump can strong-arm concessions, but scaling it risks hitting a wall\u2014courts, defiance, or just plain burnout. Watch for a half-dozen repeats by 2026, not a flood. It\u2019s a tactic, not a revolution.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I ask Grok: “Please give me an imaginary story for a possible movie about the discussions behind the scenes with the partners at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP about how to deal with Donald Trump with close attention to status details, realistic dialogue, scene by scene construction and the third person point of view as they move from shock, horror, to reaching an accommodation with Trump.”<\/p>\n

Grok: <\/p>\n

The Deal at Paul Weiss<\/p>\n

Genre: Political Drama \/ Legal Thriller<\/p>\n

Setting: March 2025, Paul, Weiss offices in New York City and Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

Point of View: Third Person <\/p>\n

Scene 1: The News Breaks<\/p>\n

Location: Paul, Weiss Conference Room, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, NYC
\nTime: March 15, 2025, 9:00 AM
\nThe sleek, glass-walled conference room buzzes with tension. Brad Karp, the firm\u2019s chairman, stands at the head of a mahogany table, his tie slightly loosened. Partners Jeh Johnson, Loretta Lynch, and Karen Dunn\u2014legal titans with r\u00e9sum\u00e9s spanning Obama-era DOJ roles and Supreme Court briefs\u2014sit with laptops open, staring at a breaking news alert on CNN: \u201cTrump Signs Executive Order Suspending Security Clearances at Paul, Weiss.\u201d The room is silent except for the faint hum of the HVAC.
\nBrad slams his hand on the table, his voice tight. \u201cThis is unprecedented. He\u2019s blacklisting us because of Pomerantz? Mark\u2019s been gone for years!\u201d
\nJeh, his brow furrowed, scrolls through the White House fact sheet. \u201cIt\u2019s not just Mark. They\u2019re tying us to Mueller\u2019s probe, the hush money case\u2014every Democrat we\u2019ve ever touched. This is retaliation, pure and simple.\u201d
\nLoretta, calm but steely, leans back. \u201cThey\u2019re choking our government contracts. No clearances, no access to federal buildings. This could tank our D.C. practice overnight.\u201d
\nKaren, ever the strategist, taps her pen against her notepad. \u201cHe\u2019s done it to Perkins Coie, Covington. We\u2019re the third domino. Question is, do we fight or fold?\u201d
\nBrad\u2019s phone buzzes\u2014another partner texting: \u201cClients are freaking out.\u201d He mutters, \u201cShock doesn\u2019t even cover it. This is a gut punch.\u201d
\nThe partners exchange looks, the weight of their firm\u2019s 150-year legacy sinking in. They\u2019re horrified\u2014not just at the attack, but at the realization that their liberal-leaning reputation might have painted this target.<\/p>\n

Scene 2: The War Room<\/p>\n

Location: Paul, Weiss Litigation Floor, NYC
\nTime: March 15, 2025, 2:00 PM
\nThe litigation floor is a hive of activity\u2014associates dart between cubicles, pulling case law. In a corner office, Brad huddles with Jeh and a junior partner, Scott Reents, who\u2019s been tracking Trump\u2019s moves. Papers litter the desk: the executive order, client contracts, a leaked list of 14 firms rumored to be next.
\nJeh paces, his voice rising. \u201cWe sue. Federal judge just blocked parts of the Perkins order\u2014unconstitutional overreach. We\u2019ve got a shot at an injunction.\u201d
\nScott, younger and pragmatic, hesitates. \u201cSure, but Trump\u2019s base loves this. \u2018Elites getting theirs.\u2019 A lawsuit drags us into his circus\u2014months of headlines, discovery, depositions. Clients might bail.\u201d
\nBrad rubs his temples. \u201cAnd if we don\u2019t fight? We\u2019re radioactive. No government work, no D.C. foothold. Partners will jump ship.\u201d
\nJeh stops pacing, his tone dark. \u201cThis isn\u2019t about law anymore. It\u2019s personal. He\u2019s punishing us for existing.\u201d
\nScott pulls up a tweet from Trump on his laptop: \u201cPaul Weiss\u2014crooked lawyers for crooked Dems. Time to clean house!\u201d The room falls silent, the horror deepening. They\u2019re not just a firm anymore\u2014they\u2019re a symbol in Trump\u2019s war on the establishment.<\/p>\n

Scene 3: The Client Call<\/p>\n

Location: Brad Karp\u2019s Office, NYC
\nTime: March 16, 2025, 10:00 AM
\nBrad sits at his desk, sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows. On speakerphone, the general counsel of a Fortune 500 client\u2014a longtime Paul, Weiss stalwart\u2014sounds jittery.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve got a $50 million deal with the feds pending,\u201d the GC says. \u201cIf you\u2019re blacklisted, we can\u2019t risk it. What\u2019s your plan, Brad?\u201d
\nBrad forces a steady tone. \u201cWe\u2019re exploring all options\u2014litigation, negotiation. We\u2019ll protect your interests, I promise.\u201d
\nThe GC isn\u2019t convinced. \u201cI\u2019ve got the board breathing down my neck. You\u2019ve got 48 hours to figure this out, or we\u2019re gone.\u201d Click.
\nBrad slumps in his chair, staring at a framed photo of the firm\u2019s founders. The stakes are climbing\u2014horror morphs into dread. He buzzes his assistant: \u201cGet me Jeh and Karen. Now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scene 4: The Pivot<\/p>\n

Location: Paul, Weiss D.C. Office, 2001 K Street NW
\nTime: March 17, 2025, 8:00 PM
\nIn a dimly lit conference room, Jeh, Karen, and Loretta sit with takeout boxes, exhaustion etched on their faces. A whiteboard lists options: \u201cSue,\u201d \u201cLobby,\u201d \u201cNegotiate.\u201d Karen circles \u201cNegotiate\u201d in red marker.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve got no leverage in court yet,\u201d she says. \u201cTrump\u2019s team knows a lawsuit ties us up. But if we talk\u2014offer something\u2014he might back off.\u201d
\nLoretta scoffs. \u201cOffer what? Our dignity? This firm doesn\u2019t grovel.\u201d
\nJeh nods but looks conflicted. \u201cHe\u2019s a dealmaker. What if we give him a win\u2014pro bono work, something he can tout? Keep our practice intact?\u201d
\nKaren jumps in. \u201c$40 million in legal services\u2014his task force on antisemitism, maybe. Neutral ground, saves face for both sides.\u201d
\nLoretta\u2019s jaw tightens. \u201cYou\u2019re serious? We\u2019d be legitimizing him.\u201d
\nBrad enters, catching the tail end. \u201cWe\u2019re not legitimizing. We\u2019re surviving. If we lose D.C., we lose half our revenue. I\u2019m meeting him tomorrow. We need a number and a pitch.\u201d
\nThe room bristles with unease. Horror is giving way to pragmatism\u2014an accommodation looms.<\/p>\n

Scene 5: The White House<\/p>\n

Location: Oval Office, Washington, D.C.
\nTime: March 18, 2025, 11:00 AM
\nBrad sits across from Trump, who\u2019s behind the Resolute Desk, grinning. Aides linger in the background. The air is thick with tension.
\nTrump leans forward. \u201cYou\u2019ve got a problem, Brad. Your firm\u2019s a mess\u2014Pomerantz, Mueller, all that garbage. I\u2019m doing you a favor, cleaning it up.\u201d
\nBrad keeps his voice even. \u201cMr. President, we\u2019re not here to relitigate the past. We\u2019re offering a partnership\u2014$40 million in pro bono work for your initiatives. Antisemitism task force, whatever you need.\u201d
\nTrump smirks. \u201cAnd you\u2019ll ditch the DEI crap? No more woke nonsense?\u201d
\nBrad nods, swallowing hard. \u201cWe\u2019ll audit our practices. Focus on the work.\u201d
\nTrump claps his hands. \u201cDeal! I\u2019ll rescind the order. Tell the world I fixed you.\u201d He posts to Truth Social on the spot: \u201cPaul Weiss sees the light\u2014big win for America!\u201d
\nBrad forces a smile, the accommodation sealed. Inside, he\u2019s numb\u2014relief warring with compromise.<\/p>\n

Scene 6: The Aftermath<\/p>\n

Location: Paul, Weiss NYC Rooftop Terrace
\nTime: March 20, 2025, 7:00 PM
\nBrad, Jeh, Loretta, and Karen stand on the terrace, drinks in hand, the Manhattan skyline glittering below. The news is out: Trump\u2019s order is lifted, the firm\u2019s safe\u2014for now.
\nJeh raises his glass. \u201cTo survival.\u201d
\nLoretta doesn\u2019t drink. \u201cAt what cost? We\u2019re in bed with him now.\u201d
\nKaren shrugs. \u201cWe bought time. Clients stay, partners stay. That\u2019s the game.\u201d
\nBrad stares at the horizon. \u201cWe didn\u2019t start this fight. But we ended it.\u201d
\nThe toast is half-hearted. They\u2019ve moved from shock and horror to a brittle peace\u2014an accommodation that leaves them intact but altered, their status preserved yet shadowed by the deal they\u2019ve made.
\nEpilogue
\nThe screen fades to text: \u201cOn March 20, 2025, Paul, Weiss announced a new pro bono initiative supporting federal priorities. The firm continues to thrive, but the echoes of the deal linger.\u201d Cue credits over a haunting score.
\nNotes on Realism
\nStatus Details: The story leverages Paul, Weiss\u2019s real-world prestige (e.g., its history since 1875, notable partners like Jeh Johnson and Loretta Lynch) and its vulnerability as a high-profile firm with government ties. <\/p>\n

Dialogue: Reflects legal minds under pressure\u2014sharp, strategic, occasionally emotional but grounded in their professional ethos. <\/p>\n

Arc: The shift from shock (Scene 1) to horror (Scenes 2-3) to accommodation (Scenes 4-6) mirrors corporate responses to political crises, balancing principle and survival. <\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s Role: His dialogue and demeanor align with his public persona as of 2025\u2014brash, transactional, and media-savvy.<\/p>\n

This could be a taut, 90-minute film, blending legal intrigue with moral ambiguity.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n