This article has been updated to include details about the announcement and Quinn Emanuel’s role.
In a social media announcement Thursday on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said that he was withdrawing his order against Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison after the law firm agreed to pay more than $40 million for pro bono support on behalf of veterans and to combat antisemitism, among other actions.
The announcement says Paul Weiss will take on “a wide range of pro bono matters that represent the full spectrum of political viewpoints of our society, whether ‘conservative’ or ‘liberal.’”
The announcement also said Paul Weiss “affirms its commitment to merit-based hiring, promotion, and retention, and will not adopt, use, or pursue any DEI policies.”
As part of its commitment, the announcement said, Paul Weiss “will engage experts, to be mutually agreed upon within 14 days, to conduct a comprehensive audit of all of its employment practices.”
Additionally, Paul Weiss will dedicate $40 million in pro bono legal services over Trump’s term to support initiatives including veterans, fairness in the justice system, combatting antisemitism “and other mutually agreed projects,” Trump’s announcement said.
In a statement with Trump’s announcement, Paul Weiss chair Brad 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.”
The statement asserts the firm agrees that “the bedrock principle of American Justice is that it must be fair and nonpartisan for all.” The statement goes on to say that firms should not “favor any political party when it comes to choosing their clients” and that a person’s political affiliation should not be a factor in who is hired.
Paul Weiss chair Brad Karp has been in Washington, D.C., this week to negotiate a resolution with the administration and meet with Trump.
Bill Burck, the global co-managing partner of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, was involved in facilitating the initial connection between Trump and Karp, sources familiar with the situation said. The firm has represented Trump adviser Elon Musk in a range of matters.
Karp had reached out to Quinn Emanuel to discuss the possibility of a meeting with Trump and, if that wasn’t possible, to have the firm represent Paul Weiss in litigation. The sources said Quinn Emanuel had agreed to represent Paul Weiss.
In a statement in Trump’s announcement, the White House said that Trump was agreeing to this action in light of a meeting with Karp “during which Mr. Karp acknowledged the wrongdoing of former Paul, Weiss partner, Mark Pomerantz, the grave dangers of Weaponization, and the vital need to restore our System of Justice.”
A Paul Weiss representative didn’t return a message seeking comment on the language of the announcement.
Trump’s order against the firm on Friday had faulted Paul Weiss for employing “unethical attorney Mark Pomerantz, who had previously left the firm to join the Manhattan District Attorney’s office solely to manufacture a prosecution against President Trump.”
Pomerantz had sought to build a criminal case against Trump when he was at the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Last Friday’s order from Trump also suspended the security clearances of firm personnel, restricted their use in government buildings, and cut off any government contracts with the firm, while its practices will be reviewed to ensure “compliance with civil rights laws against racial bias,” the White House said.
The order also required government contractors to disclose any business they do with Paul Weiss, while federal agencies will refrain from hiring Paul Weiss employees unless specifically authorized.
In addition, the practices of Paul Weiss “will be reviewed under Title VII to ensure compliance with civil rights laws against racial bias,” the White House said last Friday.
Paul Weiss has seen some client business leave as a result of Trump’s order. An executive facing a criminal indictment in New Jersey federal court, Steven Schwartz, who was the chief legal officer of Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, said he has to cut ties with his lawyers at Paul Weiss, believing the firm’s representation may “negatively affect his ability to obtain a favorable review of his case,” according to court papers. Paul Weiss and other counsel for Schwartz have been paid millions in fees related to the case.
So far, two other law firms have been targeted by Trump’s executive actions, including a presidential memo against Covington & Burling that suspended some attorney security clearances.
Trump signed broader orders against Perkins Coie and Paul Weiss. A judge has granted a temporary restraining order against the Perkins Coie action.