Trump signed EO 14237 suspending security clearances and barring federal contracts for Paul Weiss law firm

On March 14, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14237, "Addressing Risks From Paul Weiss," targeting the Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison law firm — one of the nation's largest — for its legal representations and employment history. The order suspended security clearances for all Paul Weiss employees, directed federal agencies to immediately terminate existing contracts with the firm, and barred its lawyers from entering federal buildings.

The administration justified the order on grounds that Paul Weiss had employed Mark Pomerantz, a former Manhattan District Attorney's Office prosecutor who had worked on a criminal investigation of Trump, and that the firm had represented organizations the administration viewed as politically adverse. The order was the second of its kind, following a February 25, 2025 executive order similarly targeting Perkins Coie, establishing a pattern of using executive power to punish law firms for their personnel history and client representations.

Paul Weiss capitulated within days, committing $40 million in pro bono legal services aligned with administration priorities and agreeing to other conditions the administration demanded. On March 21, 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14244 rescinding the original order after the firm's capitulation. Bar associations and legal scholars criticized the surrender as undermining the legal profession's independence. Jenner & Block on March 25, 2025 and WilmerHale on March 27, 2025 subsequently faced similar executive orders targeting them for their legal representations and personnel choices.