The law firm that Doug Emhoff, the husband of former vice president Kamala Harris, works at has agreed to provide at least $100 million in pro bono services to the Trump administration – the latest law firm to cut a deal with the administration to avoid repercussions.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher will provide services dedicated to helping veterans, Gold Star families, law enforcement members and first responders as well as combating antisemitism and ensuring judicial fairness, President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.
The law firm also agreed to end diversity, equity and inclusion hiring practices and promised it would not deny clients such as government officials or members of “politically disenfranchised groups.”
Willkie Farr & Gallagher said it proactively reached out to the administration to strike a deal after Trump signed executive orders targeting other law firms that he accused of liberal bias, fraudulent litigation or other improper practices.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher had represented two Georgia poll workers in their defamation case against Trump ally Rudy Giuliani.
Emhoff joined as a partner at the law firm in January.
Sources familiar to the matter told the Los Angeles Times that Emhoff told the firm’s leadership he disagreed with them making a deal.
Thomas Cerabino, the Chairman of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, said the law firm’s agreement with the administration was “consistent” with their view of legal representation, commitment to complying with the law as it relates to its employment practices and history of working with clients across the political spectrum.
“The Firm looks forward to having a constructive relationship with the Trump Administration, and remains committed to serving the needs of our clients, our employees, and the communities of which we are a part,” Cerabino said.
Trump has launched a retribution campaign aimed at law firms that have assisted prosecutors in cases against Trump and his allies.
That includes WilmerHale, where Robert Mueller worked before and after he served as special counsel in the Trump-Russia investigation and Jenner & Block, where Andrew Weissman worked before and after assisting Mueller in the investigation.
Covington & Burling, which employed lawyers who assisted special counsel Jack Smith in criminal investigations into Trump, has been subjected to Trump’s sanctions. Perkins Coie, which represented Hilary clinton in her 2016 presidential campaign against Trump.
Trump also sanctioned Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP – where a lawyer who assisted prosecutors in Trump’s New York criminal trial formerly worked. The law firm similarly struck a deal with the administration to lift the sanctions that would have cost lucrative government contracts.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, another law firm, had also sought a deal with the administration to prevent sanctions.
