Law Firms Pledge $900 Million in Pro Bono Work to Trump

President Donald Trump rescinded a March 14 executive order that would have stripped security clearances from lawyers at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and limited their government access. The order was rolled back after the firm pledged tens of millions of dollars in pro bono work toward the president's political priorities.

Robert Giuffra, co-chair of Sullivan & Cromwell and a personal lawyer to the president, acted as the primary intermediary in the negotiations alongside Boris Epshteyn. This arrangement created a template for eight other law firms, which collectively pledged over $900 million in free legal work to advance the president's policies.

While Sullivan & Cromwell described Giuffra's involvement as a personal favor to Paul Weiss, the firm's chair, Brad Karp, stated he was unaware of Giuffra's role until a March 19 meeting in the Oval Office. Legal ethics experts have criticized the deal, arguing it blurs the distinction between the president's personal legal representation and official government business.