Hogan Lovells Taps Trump-Connected Firm for EEOC Query (Correct)

Hogan Lovells has turned to a boutique law firm with connections to President Donald Trump for its response to a federal diversity investigation.

Continental, a Coral Gables, Florida-based firm that lists 14 attorneys on its website, is representing Hogan, according to a letter the firm sent to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) on April 15. Bloomberg Law obtained the letter Thursday through a public records request.

Continental’s roster includes Christopher Kise, a former Foley & Lardner attorney who has defended Trump in government prosecutions the president has referred to as “weaponization” of the legal system. Other attorneys at the firm with Trump ties include Lazaro Fields, Carlos Trujillo and Alyssa Specht Garcia.

Hogan is one of 20 law firms that received letters March 17 from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission saying they were being investigated for their diversity practices and hiring decisions. Firms were supposed to respond by April 15 though Continental’s letter said its client had requested a 30-day extension.

The Continental attorney who told Paxton the firm is representing Hogan is Carmen Manrara Cartaya. She spent seven years as a trial attorney at the EEOC’s Miami district office, according to her LinkedIn profile. She also spent six years at Hogan Lovells prior to joining the EEOC.

Continental didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Hogan declined to comment.

Kise has represented Trump in a New York state civil fraud lawsuit that resulted in a $454 million judgment against the president. Trump is appealing. Kise also represented Trump against allegations of mishandling classified documents in a case that was dismissed last year.

Kise left Foley & Lardner in August 2022 after he decided to represent Trump in the documents case. He joined Continental in October of that year.

Fields defended the Trump Organization in a 2023 civil fraud suit in which the company was hit with a $364 million fraud fine. Trujillo is a past State Department appointee during Trump’s first administration. Specht Garcia was a director of Trump’s 2020 election recount efforts in Georgia and Florida.

A coalition of Republican state attorneys general, including Paxton, in March urged the 20 firms that had received the EEOC request to comply with it and to send the state officials the same documentation they were planning to share with the federal commission.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond (R) was among the coalition that signed on to Paxton’s request and that received documents from the law firm. Bloomberg Law made a records request to Drummond’s office.

Bloomberg Law on April 24 obtained other law firms’ responses to Paxton.

Quinn Emanuel co-managing partner Bill Burck responded on behalf of six firms that struck deals with the White House to end the EEOC probes—Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Simpson Thacher, A&O Shearman, Skadden, and Milbank. Burck’s letter confirmed that the EEOC withdrew its requests for diversity information from the six firms after they made an agreement with Trump for free legal services as a way to avoid punitive executive orders.

Perkins Coie’s outside counsel Dane Butswinkas of Williams & Connolly told Paxton the firm wouldn’t divulge any of the requested information until it finishes a lawsuit against the Trump administration contesting an executive order targeting the firm.