The Skadden Arps deal suggests negotiating may be getting more costly. Paul Weiss said it would provide $40 million in pro bono work, while the Skadden Arps agreement more than doubled that amount. The deals have also been met with scathing criticism by those in the legal community who see them as unnecessary capitulation in cases where the firms have the law on their side.
On Thursday, after news broke that Skadden was seeking to strike a deal with the Trump administration, a group of alumni — all part of the law firm’s prestigious public interest fellowship program — began to circulate a letter. It urged the firm’s leadership to “take every measure to resist unlawful interference with the rule of law, to fight any unjust actions” and “to speak publicly about the critical, nonpartisan role of lawyers in defending democracy,” according to a copy of the letter reviewed by The New York Times.
The letter, which organizers hope to deliver to Skadden’s leadership, has gathered nearly 400 signatures, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Mr. Trump said Skadden Arps would provide legal services to veterans, members of the military and law enforcement, first responders, and state and local government officials. Their pro bono work, the White House said, would also involve legal issues surrounding antisemitism, and that in general, its pro bono work will “represent the full political spectrum.”
For months, the president has railed against firms that he said refused to represent conservatives or their causes. His executive orders are intended to force them to do so.
According to a fact sheet issued by the White House, Skadden Arps “will not deny representation to clients, such as members of politically disenfranchised groups, who have not historically received legal representation from major national law firms” because of the political views of the firm’s lawyers.
On Wednesday, the president boasted about his track record of bringing big law firms to heel.
“They’re all bending and saying, ‘Sir, thank you very much,’” Mr. Trump said, adding that they were asking, “‘Where do I sign? Where do I sign?’”
Jessica Silver-Greenberg and Ben Protess contributed reporting from New York.