In a move drawing both applause and intense scrutiny, five of the world’s most powerful law firms—Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, and Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP—have committed to a combined $500 million in pro bono services as part of a controversial deal with President Donald Trump’s administration.
The pact, revealed Friday through a series of pointed social media announcements by the president, aims to shield the firms from executive orders that threatened to revoke federal security clearances and derail their government-linked practices.
$125M Promises from Big Four
Each of the four firms—Kirkland, A&O Shearman, Simpson Thacher, and Latham—has pledged $125 million in pro bono legal work and affirmed their support for merit-based hiring, promotions, and retention practices. The announcement comes on the heels of growing political scrutiny surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in corporate law.
In his post, Trump claimed the deal had prompted the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to retract letters previously sent to the firms, which questioned the legality of certain DEI initiatives under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
