In a recent move, another prominent international law firm has reached an agreement with former President Donald Trump to commit at least $100 million in complimentary legal services to causes such as veterans’ support and anti-antisemitism actions, as announced by the White House on Tuesday. Willkie Farr & Gallagher has become the third major firm in just two weeks to secure an arrangement with the White House in order to avoid potential U.S. government sanctions.
This development occurred shortly after the firm was informed about a forthcoming executive order from the White House, which could have had serious repercussions, according to an internal email from Willkie’s executive committee. This latest resolution demonstrates a range of responses from the legal community as Trump continues to pressure top law firms and require them to make concessions, including the rejection of diversity and inclusion criteria in hiring and promotions. Many involved firms have lawyers who have scrutinized Trump during or after his presidency.
Willkie is notable for employing Doug Emhoff, husband to the Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2024, and Timothy Heaphy, who served as the chief investigative counsel for the House committee examining the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. The firm also achieved success representing former Georgia election staff against ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani in a defamation case.
While some firms have accepted deals with the White House, which certain legal community critics see as surrender, others have challenged these edicts in court, with some success in blocking crucial parts of the orders. Willkie’s internal correspondence acknowledged the complexity of the situation, noting the already critical public discourse on these agreements. The firm ultimately chose to accept the agreement to protect their stakeholder interests and avoid severe consequences.
This decision came after Willkie was notified on Sunday about being targeted for an executive order similar to those imposed on other law firms. The White House then suggested an alternative based on three key principles. Within the firm, Emhoff expressed disagreement with the arrangement and encouraged leadership to oppose it, a position disclosed by an anonymous insider.
Willkie’s internal message minimized the reform scale, asserting the firm would maintain its existing practices, such as lawful employment procedures, political and ideological client representation, and advocacy for underserved individuals and groups. Conversely, the White House framed the agreement as a significant commitment to merit-based policies, asserting that Willkie had pledged against illegal diversity and inclusion discrimination and preferences.
Trump’s executive orders have threatened legal professionals’ security clearances, the cancellation of federal contracts, and restricted access to federal premises for employees at the targeted firms. Recently, to avert an executive order, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom agreed to offer $100 million in pro bono legal aid, following Paul Weiss, which similarly arranged a deal a week after being targeted. Paul Weiss’ chairman warned the Trump directives might devastate the firm.
In several cases, judges have partially blocked enforcement of orders related to federal contracts and building access, as evidenced by lawsuits from firms such as WilmerHale, Jenner & Block, and Perkins Coie. WilmerHale previously hosted special counsel Robert Mueller before his retirement, while Jenner & Block employed Andrew Weissmann, a senior attorney on Mueller’s team, and Perkins Coie represented Hillary Clinton in her 2016 presidential campaign.
Covington & Burling, the first firm targeted, provided legal services to special counsel Jack Smith, who examined Trump during his subsequent term.