In March 2025, the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (Paul Weiss) faced threats to its ability to interact with the federal government through an executive order from President Donald Trump. Choosing to capitulate rather than fight, Paul Weiss pledged $40 million in free legal work to the administration to have the order rescinded.
It appears the decision didn't sit well with some of their most prominent litigators. A partner announced his intent to leave Paul Weiss on June 1, 2025, joining four others who departed in May to start their own firm. Farewell emails to their former co-workers offered no reason for their departure.
Targeting Law Firms
Upon taking office in January 2025, President Trump began his second term by unleashing an onslaught of executive orders. While some focused on imposing his agenda while bypassing normal channels and guidelines, others put crosshairs on those he felt had wronged him in the past. This was perhaps most prevalent in the legal field.
Some of the largest firms on Wall Street and in the District of Columbia found themselves the target of vengeful executive orders. The sanctions threatened to block the firms and their clients from government contracts, limit their ability to interact with government officials, and prohibit their attorneys from entering government buildings. This included federal courthouses.
Paul Weiss was singled out on March 14 in Executive Order 14237, a little more than a week after law firm Perkins Coie had received the same treatment. In a move that shocked and surprised many, Paul Weiss quickly bent the knee to the Trump Administration. On March 21, President Trump rescinded EO 14237 and announced that, in addition to changing its hiring policies and surrendering freedom in the types of cases it took, Paul Weiss had pledged $40 million in pro bono legal services to be used as the administration wished during Trump's term.
Several targeted firms followed Paul Weiss' example into a similar surrender, but others chose to go in a different direction. Four of the targeted law firms - Jenner & Block, Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey - decried President Trump's executive orders as unconstitutional and filed suit. The federal courts seem to agree, with three of the orders permanently struck down and a fourth still pending.
A New Firm, a New Start
The attorneys leaving Paul Weiss are some of the legal world's big hitters. Karen Dunn was the co-chair of the litigation department and the lead attorney in one of Google's current cases against the federal government. She will continue that role alongside co-counsel from her former firm. Jeannie Rhee was part of the Robert Mueller III-headed investigation into the 2016 presidential election and has defended Hillary Clinton.
William Isaacson is a prominent commercial litigation attorney and was the 2016 American Lawyer Litigator of the Year. Jessica Phillips has represented some of the largest tech firms in the world. The four, who departed Paul Weiss together on May 23, are the founding members of Dunn Isaacson Rhee LLP.
They were joined on June 1 by Kyle Smith, a litigator who has represented Amazon and Uber. With only five of their 178 partners having left so far, Paul Weiss may not be concerned about a mass migration occurring. Still, the fallout from their reaction to the executive order may not be over yet.
Related Resources
- Pro Bono Explained (FindLaw's Pro Bono Center)
- What Are Executive Orders? What Are Their Limits? (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- How Can Lawyers Help With Government Agencies and Programs? (FindLaw's Learn About the Law)
