Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, a prominent New York law firm, gave in to President Trump's sanctions today. As part of its surrender, the firm agreed to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion from its hiring practices, and to provide $40 million of free legal work to civic causes favored by the Trump Administration.
The concession of Paul, Weiss to White House pressure comes just two months after the president revoked John Kennedy's executive order that prohibited federal contractors from discriminating in hiring. It's especially poignant when set next to the Statement of Firm Principles that its managing partner Simon H. Rifkind laid out in 1963, in a masterful essay that the firm posts on its website to this day (it may still be there next week . . . maybe).
Judge Rifkind wrote, “We believe in maintaining, by affirmative efforts, a membership of partners and associates reflecting a wide variety of religious, political, ethnic and social backgrounds, characteristic of that community.” Judge Rifkind also wrote: “We refuse to be deterred by the unpopularity of a client or his cause from accepting a matter which justice and professional responsibility prompt us to take. *** Finally, we are committed to achieving our objectives without wearing any client's collar or any political party's livery.”
I would like to believe that if Simon Rifkind were to walk into the office of his old firm today he would tear into the current management and then rip his name from the door.
Recent Comments