The political fault lines in America’s legal elite just got a whole lot deeper — and this time, Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is at the center of the storm.
The elite Manhattan law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, which welcomed Emhoff as a partner in January, has struck a $100 million pro bono deal with the Trump administration. According to the announcement made by President Donald Trump himself, the agreement will focus on legal support for veterans, law enforcement officers, and conservative-aligned causes — areas Trump has long claimed are ignored or even attacked by institutional law firms.
In a striking departure from the legal industry’s standard playbook, Trump noted that Willkie has agreed to scrap its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, and pledged to represent clients regardless of political affiliation.
“Willkie’s pro bono committee will ensure that new pro bono matters are consistent with these objectives, and that pro bono activities represent the full political spectrum, including conservative ideals,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, celebrating the firm’s cooperation.
The White House also confirmed the deal, revealing that Willkie approached the administration proactively and expressed interest in helping reverse what the administration calls the “weaponization of the justice system.”
But not everyone in the firm was cheering. Doug Emhoff, the Second Gentleman and newly minted partner, reportedly lashed out during a charity gala dinner in Los Angeles last Thursday. According to CNN, Emhoff argued that Trump’s executive pressure on law firms amounted to “unconstitutional” interference, and made clear he opposed the agreement.
He claimed the firm only accepted the deal to avoid the threat of an executive order that could have specifically targeted its operations. Nevertheless, Emhoff acknowledged he was overruled internally — a rare and awkward admission of dissent from someone so closely tied to a sitting vice president.
Firm chairman Thomas M. Cerabino defended the partnership with Trump, saying it reflects Willkie’s long-standing commitment to access to legal representation, especially for pro bono clients.
“Our commitment to complying with the law and working with clients across a wide spectrum of political viewpoints has not changed,” Cerabino said. He also expressed optimism about the firm’s future working relationship with the Trump administration, despite the backlash from within.
The irony? Willkie Farr & Gallagher previously provided pro bono services to the Georgia election workers who sued Rudy Giuliani over 2020 election claims. That lawsuit ended with tens of millions in damages against Giuliani — a headline win for Democrats. But now, under Trump’s new directive, the same firm is pledging its resources to clients on the opposite end of the political spectrum, including conservative causes historically frozen out of elite legal representation.
Emhoff’s discomfort is understandable — but for Willkie, the deal signals a full 180-degree pivot from its past political leanings. And for Trump, it’s a symbolic and strategic conquest of the legal establishment, showing that even top-tier institutions will fall in line when pressure is applied effectively.
