Law firms that bent the knee to Donald Trump are losing some of their biggest clients.
Nearly a dozen major companies, including Microsoft, McDonald’s, Oracle and Morgan Stanley, are distancing themselves from law firms that committed to providing nearly $1 billion worth of pro bono services to Trump to avoid being targeted by the federal government, the Wall Street Journal reported.
General counsels at some of these companies told the outlet that they doubted whether firms that surrendered to Trump could still be trusted to represent them when they couldn’t defend themselves.
McDonald’s reportedly dropped a law firm after they struck a deal with Trump months before a major trial. A top executive at Microsoft also told the Journal that they are in the process of transitioning away from Paul, Weiss after the firm caved to Trump.
Earlier this year, Trump signed executive orders targeting several law firms that have worked with Democrats in the past or employ attorneys who worked on his criminal investigations.
While some caved under pressure from the Trump administration, the few that fought back are scoring resounding victories in court.
“This is a moment for courage, not capitulation,” said Harold Hongju Koh, a Yale Law School professor. “The firms that showed courage are being vindicated, and the ones who have capitulated have another chance to show courage. So, what are they going to do?”
