Overview

• Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett each committed $125 million in pro bono legal work, while Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft pledged $100 million.
• The agreements include provisions requiring the firms to cease diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, instead adopting strictly merit-based hiring practices.
• Trump's executive orders had threatened to revoke security clearances, restrict federal access, and cancel contracts for firms representing political adversaries or pursuing DEI policies.
• The total value of legal services pledged by firms targeted by the administration now exceeds $940 million, with work directed toward causes aligned with Trump’s agenda, including veterans' support and trade negotiations.
• Three firms—Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, and WilmerHale—continue to challenge the constitutionality of these executive orders in court, securing preliminary injunctions against key provisions.