Trump Secures $600 Million In Pro Bono Legal Support From Top Law Firms Amid Industry Crackdown

In a headline-grabbing move that underscores both his influence and approach to legal and political adversaries, President Donald Trump announced agreements with five prominent law firms to provide a staggering $600 million in pro bono legal work for causes the administration supports. The deals, disclosed late this week, mark an intensification of Trump's ongoing strategy of leveraging executive pressure against firms aligned with his critics, while rewarding those willing to partner on mutually approved initiatives.

According to Trump’s posts on Truth Social and reports from the White House, four of the nation’s elite firms—Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling US LLP, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, and Latham & Watkins LLP—have each pledged at least $125 million in pro bono legal work. An additional $100 million commitment comes from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP, bringing the total to the $600 million figure. The scope of the free legal services is broad, including work on issues like assisting veterans, combating antisemitism, and advocating for fairness in the U.S. justice system, among other administration-aligned causes.

This collective show of support is a marked shift from earlier one-off deals Trump had previously heralded. Notably, where such agreements once faced sharp backlash both internally at law firms and across the broader legal profession, sources now say that this package deal strategy is designed to present a united front from the industry—a development some view as a response to increasing pressure from the executive branch. “The president is expected to unveil several deals together as one collective concession from the industry,” an individual familiar with the negotiations commented, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The background to these deals is steeped in controversy. Trump’s campaign to sway law firms began last month, when he signed a series of financially punitive executive orders aimed at firms associated with political opponents. Though courts have raised constitutional questions about his tactics, the pressure seems to have yielded results. The agreements not only secure substantial legal support for Trump-backed initiatives but also include provisions for merit-based hiring, explicit rejections of so-called “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences,” and a commitment never to deny representation to clients based on individual lawyers’ political beliefs.

Trump also noted that, in response to these new deals, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has withdrawn letters previously sent to some of the firms and will no longer pursue related claims — a move that highlights the legal as well as political dimensions of these agreements.

The reactions inside the legal industry remain mixed: Some praise the benefits of pro bono work for society’s most vulnerable, while others decry what they see as the politicization of the profession and the dangerous precedent of executive strong-arming. With negotiations ongoing and public scrutiny intensifying, the consequences of these unprecedented legal partnerships will likely reverberate throughout the country’s legal and political landscape for months to come.

What do you think about law firms engaging in large-scale pro bono deals brokered under political pressure? Share your comments and join the conversation below.

• Donald Trump
• Kirkland & Ellis
• Legal Industry