Paul Weiss Loses Senior Litigators in Wake of Trump Deal (2)

Paul Weiss, one of the law firms that reached a settlement with Donald Trump’s administration over past work with his perceived opponents, just lost a group of senior litigators.

The lawyers plan to start their own firm, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. They include Karen Dunn, co-chair of the litigation department, and Jeannie Rhee, who was involved in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of the 2016 election. The other two are Bill Isaacson and Jessica Phillips.

Paul Weiss was the first of several law firms to reach controversial deals with the Trump administration, in which they pledged to provide legal services in line with the government’s priorities. Members of the departing group had privately expressed support for the deal, according to a colleague. Now that they’re leaving, they would have more leeway to take on litigation that challenges the administration.

“Paul Weiss is grateful to Bill, Jeannie, Jessica and Karen for their many contributions,” said Laura Van Drie, a representative for the firm. “We wish them well in all their future endeavors.”

The four didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Dunn was part of a team of advisers who helped Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris prep for a debate with Trump last year. The attorney also led a $25 million suit against the organizers of the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.

Members of the departing group also have represented corporate clients including Apple Inc., Oracle Corp. and Facebook.

Nine major law firms — including Kirkland & Ellis and Latham & Watkins — have settled with Trump rather than face or fight orders that could impede their franchises. In total, they have agreed to provide about $1 billion in legal services, among other concessions.

Other law firms have resisted Trump’s pressure. On Friday, a federal judge permanently blocked an executive order targeting Jenner & Block, ruling that it amounted to an unconstitutional abuse of the president’s power.

Read More: Judge Strikes Down Trump Order Targeting Jenner & Block

(Updates with background on lawyers and Trump’s pressure from sixth paragraph.)

--With assistance from Ava Benny-Morrison.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Sridhar Natarajan in New York at snatarajan15@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Ben Bain at bbain2@bloomberg.net

David Scheer

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