U.S. President Donald Trump has withdrawn an executive order targeting prominent law firm Paul Weiss after the firm pledged $40 million in pro bono legal services and agreed to remove its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
The decision follows a private meeting between Trump and Paul Weiss Chairman Brad Karp, where Karp reportedly acknowledged "wrongdoing" by former partner Mark Pomerantz, who was involved in a Manhattan probe into Trump’s alleged hush money payments. The White House said the firm will now support key administration goals, including combating antisemitism and aiding veterans.
Trump’s original order had suspended Paul Weiss lawyers’ security clearances and barred them from government access, citing its DEI policies and ties to Pomerantz. Trump emphasized, “Paul, Weiss agrees that the bedrock principle of American Justice is that it must be fair and nonpartisan for all.”
Pomerantz, who left the firm in 2022, denied any misconduct, saying, “I engaged in no wrongdoing by working as a prosecutor to uphold the rule of law.”
In addition to its legal pledge, Paul Weiss agreed to audit and eliminate all DEI policies within the firm. The move aligns with Trump’s wider crackdown on DEI initiatives, which he claims are discriminatory. Earlier this week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requested diversity data from 20 top law firms.
The development contrasts with the response from Perkins Coie, another major firm that sued the administration over a similar executive order. A judge recently paused enforcement of that order, citing potential constitutional violations.
Paul Weiss, a high-profile firm with ties to both political parties, counts major clients like Goldman Sachs, Citibank, Amazon, and Google. The firm has not issued a formal comment on Trump’s decision.