President Donald Trump said Friday that the large law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has agreed to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal services during the Trump administration and to take other steps that align with the president’s concerns about hiring.
The agreement, which Trump called “essentially a settlement,” allows Skadden, Arps to avoid becoming the sixth elite law firm to be targeted by an executive order from Trump imposing various punishments.
The deal came five days after the billionaire Elon Musk — one of Trump’s top advisors — tweeted “Skadden, this needs to stop now” in response to a social media post by conservative gadfly Dinesh D’Souza complaining that the firm’s lawyers were litigating against him over a film he produced.
Trump last week rescinded his executive order targeting the law firm Paul, Weiss after that firm agreed to perform $40 million worth of pro bono — free — legal work for causes that the president supports.
Earlier Friday, two targeted law firms, WilmerHale and Jenner & Block, filed federal lawsuits against the Trump administration over the executive orders targeting them.
A third targeted firm, Perkins Coie, sued the administration earlier this month over the order aimed at that firm.
Skadden, Arps Executive Partner Jeremy London, in a statement posted online by Trump on Friday, said, “Skadden is
pleased to have achieved a successful agreement with President Trump and his Administration.”
“We engaged proactively with the President and his team in working together constructively to reach this agreement,” London said. “The Firm looks forward to continuing our productive relationship with President Trump and his Admin.”
“We firmly believe that this outcome is in the best interests of our clients, our people, and our Firm.”
FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen outside of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 30, 2020.
Andrew Kelly | Reuters
In addition to the free legal work to causes that the firm and the president “both support,” Skadden, Arps also agreed to not engage in so-called DEI — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — discrimination, to commit to “merit-based hiring,” and to fund scholarships for law school graduates to work on projects helping veterans, “ensuring fairness in our Justice System,” and combatting antisemitism, Trump said in a social media post.
Skadden, Arps also agreed to “not deny representation to clients, such as members of politically disenfranchised groups, who have not historically received legal representation from major National Law Firms, including in pro bono matters, and in support of non-profits, because of the personal political views of individual lawyers,” Trump wrote.
CNBC has requested comment from Skadden, Arps.
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