Donald Trump strikes agreement with Skadden for $100M in legal services amid legal battle with major law firms

President Donald Trump on Friday announced an agreement with law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom to avoid a potential executive order restricting the work it can do with the federal government.

The announcement came just hours after two other major firms, WilmerHale and Jenner & Block, sued Trump’s administration over executive orders against them, escalating a clash between the Republican president and a large swath of the legal profession.

Trump said Skadden will provide $100 million in free legal work approved by the administration and committed to merit-based hiring. Spokespeople for Skadden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Wall Street law firm Paul Weiss struck a deal with the White House last week to rescind an executive order like those against WilmerHale and Jenner. The firm agreed to dedicate $40 million in free legal services to “mutually agreed” causes supported by the administration.

Lawsuits from WilmerHale and Jenner & Block escalate tensions

WilmerHale and Jenner in their lawsuits asked a court in Washington to block Trump’s orders, which suspended security clearances for their lawyers and restricted the firms’ access to government buildings, officials and federal contracting work.

“The President’s sweeping attack on WilmerHale (and other firms) is unprecedented and unconstitutional,” WilmerHale’s lawsuit said.

Jenner’s lawsuit said, “Every day the Order remains in effect, it causes Jenner escalating and irreparable harm to its reputation and finances.”

The firms said Trump’s orders violate their rights under the U.S. Constitution and are meant to punish opposition to the president and his administration.

Both WilmerHale and Jenner have ties to lawyers who were involved in a U.S. Justice Department probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which Trump has repeatedly called a “witch hunt.”

The White House in a statement on Friday said law firms had “weaponized the legal process to try to punish and jail their political opponents.” Trump’s executive orders are “lawful directives to ensure that the President’s agenda is implemented and that law firms comply with the law,” White House spokesman Harrison Fields said.

WilmerHale in a statement called Trump’s order against the firm “a plainly unlawful attack on the bedrock principles of our nation’s legal system — our clients’ right to counsel and the First Amendment.”

The lawsuits said Trump’s deal with Paul Weiss highlighted the retaliatory nature of the administration’s orders. Paul Weiss has defended its deal as consistent with the firm’s principles, amid heavy criticism from some lawyers and law firms that it had caved to Trump.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell on March 12 temporarily blocked most of an earlier executive order Trump issued against Perkins Coie, finding Trump’s actions were unconstitutional.

Howell said the Republican president was fixated on Perkins Coie’s work for his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.

Trump’s orders against WilmerHale and Jenner & Block also focused on the 2016 race, citing WilmerHale’s ties to former U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated Russian contacts with Trump’s campaign.

The executive order against Jenner & Block cited its past employment of Andrew Weissmann, a top federal prosecutor involved in Mueller’s investigation.

In addition to his orders targeting specific firms, Trump directed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi late last week to probe any lawyers and law firms that sued the federal government over the past eight years. Trump said lawyers were helping to fuel fraud in the immigration system and had sought to undermine elections.

WilmerHale, Jenner & Block and Perkins Coie are among more than a dozen large firms representing clients in pending lawsuits against the administration. Jenner’s cases include one seeking to protect transgender rights.

WilmerHale represents a group of inspectors general who allege the administration illegally ousted them. The firm also played a key role in lawsuits against the prior Trump administration.

Trump’s executive orders sought to terminate federal contracts held by the law firms’ clients if the firms had any role in them.

Jenner’s lawsuit said more than 40% of its revenue over the last five years comes from government contractors, subcontractors or affiliates. The firm said several of its clients were worried their work with Jenner could affect their relationship with the federal government.

WilmerHale in its lawsuit said Trump’s order “will inevitably cause extensive, lasting damage to WilmerHale’s current and future business prospects.”

Democratic Attorneys General and ABA raise concerns

A group of 20 Democratic state attorneys general and the American Bar Association warned on Wednesday that Trump’s efforts posed dangers to the legal profession and the courts.

The attorneys general in a letter criticised what they called the “chilling effect” of Trump’s executive orders targeting law firms and his calls to impeach federal judges.