Overview

• Four law firms—Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale and Susman Godfrey—secured court orders blocking directives that stripped their lawyers of clearances and federal access
• Nine firms, including Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps, agreed to provide nearly $1 billion in pro bono legal work to avoid similar punitive orders
• Despite four separate judicial defeats, the administration has declined to appeal any rulings against its firm-specific executive orders
• The ABA alleges the policies have intimidated law firms into rejecting cases against the government and chilled pro bono work on issues such as immigration and diversity
• Firms that struck deals with the White House are facing partner departures, client defections and internal criticism over their capitulations