President Donald Trump’s comments about “free legal services” of the nine law firms he’s made deals with have led to mounting uncertainty, as well as some doubts and discord, inside the firms about whether Trump will actually go forward with tapping them for his administration’s legal work.
Sources told Law.com this week some partners and associates aren’t taking Trump seriously when he says he wants the firms to work for his administration and believe it’s more bluster from Trump. Others are concerned about what they signed up for.
Steven Ragland, a partner and associate general counsel at Keker, Van Nest & Peters, a firm that has openly supported law firms fighting the Trump administration, said he’s not surprised Trump has expanded on the terms of the pro bono deals, given his “extortionist efforts for legal services.”
"The idea that you can cabin the cooperation is completely naive," he said, adding any firms considering a deal with Trump in the future are “deluding themselves if they think they can put guardrails” on a deal.
He said he’s hopeful firms now will be motivated to resist the president further. “There’s power in numbers.”