Top Democratic Lawyer, 3 Others Leave Paul Weiss To Start New Firm: Reports
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Months after Paul Weiss reached a settlement with the Trump administration, four senior partners at the firm are leaving to start their own practice, according to The New York Times and Bloomberg Law.
Why It Matters
The partners' exit comes several months after Paul Weiss settled with the Trump administration to avoid having to face the consequences—legal or otherwise—of Trump's March executive order terminating all federal government contracts with the firm and revoking the security clearances of its lawyers.
Trump's executive order targeting the firm specified that it was being singled out because one of its lawyers, Mark Pomerantz, investigated Trump's business dealings when he was in the Manhattan district attorney's office.
Demonstrators outside the law offices of Paul Weiss in New York on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, are protesting the firm's agreement to do free legal services for the Trump administration.
Demonstrators outside the law offices of Paul Weiss in New York on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, are protesting the firm's agreement to do free legal services for the Trump administration.
Ted Shaffrey/AP
What To Know
One of the four partners leaving is Karen Dunn, a top Democratic lawyer who helped then Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with debate preparation during their presidential campaigns, according to The New York Times.
Dunn also spearheaded a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the organizers of the far-right "Unite The Right" protest in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, Bloomberg reported.
Another partner exiting Paul Weiss is Jeannie Rhee, who worked as a prosecutor on the special counsel Robert Mueller's team, which investigated Russia's interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign conspired with the Russian government in its efforts.
The other two partners leaving the firm are Bill Isaacson, a well-known antitrust lawyer, and Jessica Phillips, who once clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, The Times reported.
Paul Weiss came under fire after it settled with Trump to sidestep fighting his March executive order. As part of the arrangement, the firm agreed to scrap its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, as well as provide $40 million worth of pro bono services to support Trump's agenda.
Trump subsequently rescinded his executive order. In the wake of the settlement, Paul Weiss faced a firestorm of criticism and the head of the firm's pro bono arm, Steven Banks, resigned.
More than 170 alumni of the firm also signed an open letter to the firm's chairman, Brad Karp, calling the decision to settle "cowardly" and adding that "the very independence of lawyers and the legal profession is at stake."
In total, the nine major law firms that settled with the Trump administration have agreed to provide about $1 billion in legal work, according to Bloomberg.
What People Are Saying
Dunn, Rhee, Isaacson and Phillips said in an email to the firm on Friday both Bloomberg and The Times reported: "We were disappointed not to be able to tell each of you personally and individually the news that we have decided to leave Paul, Weiss to start a new law firm."
Brad Karp, the chairman of the firm, told The Times in a statement: "We are grateful to Bill, Jeannie, Jessica and Karen for their many contributions to the firm. We wish them well in their future endeavors."
Neera Tanden, a prominent Democratic activist, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "Proud of these legal leaders. They are putting principle first. Hope all lawyers at Paul Weiss of conviction join them."
Jason Kint, a digital media veteran and the CEO of Digital Content Next, wrote on X: "Wow. Paul Weiss just lost the top attorneys representing Google in its adtech antitrust case just as remedies are getting underway. It will be interesting to see how Google handles this since this is fallout for the law firm being first to do a Trump deal."
What Happens Next
At least three law firms—Perkins Coie, WilmerHale and Jenner & Block—have fought Trump's executive orders in court. On Friday, a federal judge appointed by George W. Bush blocked Trump's order targeting Jenner & Block after finding that it violated the Constitution.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wall Street Journal
33 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Appeals Court Lets Sweeping Tariffs Stand for Now
A federal appeals court granted Tuesday the Trump administration's request to keep far-reaching tariffs in effect for now, but agreed to fast track its consideration of the case this summer. The court said it intends to hear arguments on July 31, which means the levies will likely remain in effect for at least the next two months. 🔎 Dig deeper:
Newsweek
35 minutes ago
- Newsweek
ICE Detains Heavily Pregnant US Citizen—'Shield My Stomach'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman who is nine months pregnant was detained by federal immigration authorities, despite being a U.S. citizen. Cary López Alvarado was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on June 8, one week before her due date, in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California. "They started grabbing me from both sides, and I ducked down to sort of shield my stomach because I was afraid they were going to hurt me," López Alvarado told Telemundo 52. "I told them it [her due date] was June 17, and they said, 'OK, your baby is going to be born here, but you're from Mexico, right?' And I told them no." She said agents detained her on allegations of obstructing the arrest of her undocumented husband. Newsweek contacted ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment outside of office hours on Wednesday. Border Patrol agents marked in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) vehicles had been following a white pickup carrying two undocumented immigrants, including López Alvarado's partner, NBC Los Angeles reported. Speaking from a hospital bed on Monday, she told the outlet: "I had lost my balance because he was kind of shoving me away from the door. That's when I kind of leaned forward, trying to protect the stomach." "I wasn't resisting or anything," she added. "I can't fight back; I'm pregnant." López Alvarado said she began experiencing sharp abdominal pain after her release on Sunday, and was subsequently hospitalized. Doctors are closely monitoring both her and her baby, NBC Los Angeles reported. The detention comes amid a crackdown on immigration by the Trump administration, which has made enforcement operations a top priority. Trump has vowed to carry out what he calls the largest mass deportation effort in United States history, enforcing stricter border controls, shutting down asylum and ramping up ICE arrests across the country. The administration is facing increasing pushback from pockets of resistance over the GOP's flagship mass removal policy. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
In the news today: Trump's tariffs remain in effect, Canadians critical of Israel
Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed... Trump's tariffs to stay in effect amid appeal A federal appeals court agreed on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs will remain in place while a case is heard — extending an emergency stay granted after a lower court found the devastating duties unlawful. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found "a stay is warranted under the circumstances." It provides a temporary victory for the Trump administration as it hits its first legal barriers for realigning global trade. "The Trump administration is legally using the powers granted to the executive branch by the Constitution and Congress to address our country's national emergencies of persistent goods trade deficits and drug trafficking," said White House spokesman Kush Desai in an emailed statement Tuesday. "The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' stay order is a welcome development, and we look forward to ultimately prevailing in court." Poll suggests Canadians critical of Israel A new poll suggests that nearly half of Canadians believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza almost two years after the current conflict began. In a survey conducted last weekend, the polling firm Leger asked Canadians and Americans a series of questions about the conflict in the Gaza Strip. The polling comes as the federal government is under pressure to take concrete steps to condemn Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Leger asked respondents whether they "agree or disagree that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip" based on how they "define what constitutes a genocide." Feds look to boost weak summer jobs market The federal government is moving to shore up a historically weak summer job market for students — even as one economist argues tough employment prospects for young people suggest broader softness in the job market. Statistics Canada shone a light on the difficult employment prospects for students heading back to school this fall in its May jobs report last Friday. Roughly one in five returning students aged 15 to 24 was unemployed in May, the agency said. The last time the jobless rate for students was this high outside the pandemic was in May 2009. Also on Friday, the federal government announced an expansion of the Canada Summer Jobs program, which offers wage subsidies to businesses hiring young people for seasonal work. Concern in Canada after U.S. vaccine panel fired Canadian doctors and scientists say Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s firing of an immunization advisory committee south of the border is worrisome. On Monday, the U.S. health and human services secretary — a longtime anti-vaccine advocate — said he will appoint new members to the scientific group that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about vaccination. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan, said Tuesday that the move will foster more false anti-vaccine beliefs, not only in the U.S. but also in Canada. "It creates a culture in which anti-vaxx beliefs are more accepted and challenged a lot less. And also it creates an environment where there's an alternative to an evidence-based recommendation framework," she said. N.S. miners strike a century ago still resonates During Nova Scotia's storied 300-year history of coal mining, one deadly riot in 1925 proved to be pivotal for workers' rights in Canada. One hundred years ago today, William Davis — a 37-year-old Cape Breton coal miner and father of nine — was shot to death by a special constable hired by the British Empire Steel Corporation (BESCO) — a monopoly mine owner that had repeatedly turned to violence to end strikes over poor wages and unsafe working conditions. "William Davis's story highlights the many sacrifices that those unionized workers made when they stood up against oppression," says Danny Cavanaugh, president of the 70,000-member Nova Scotia Federation of Labour. "It serves as a reminder of a historic struggle that workers faced to secure their rights." Davis's death on the outskirts of New Waterford, N.S., commemorated every year in Nova Scotia on June 11, was the painful culmination of a long series of strikes and chaotic skirmishes. CRTC holds hearing on internet choice Canada's telecommunications regulator is expected to hear today from major providers and consumer advocacy groups at a hearing on shopping for internet services. Wednesday marks Day 2 of the four-day hearing, which is part of a CRTC consultation launched in December on how to help consumers shop for home internet plans following complaints it was difficult to compare their options. The regulator is considering a requirement for providers to display relevant information — such as price and speed — through a standardized label, similar to nutrition labels on food products that contain serving size and calorie data. The Canadian Telecommunications Association industry group, along with Telus Corp., Bell Canada and internet accessibility advocacy group OpenMedia are scheduled to present today. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025 The Canadian Press
