
When the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison announced on March 20 it had entered into a deal with President Donald Trump to make an executive order targeting the firm go away, Rachel Cohen, a third year associate at another law firm, Skadden Arps, announced her resignation.
Like Paul, Weiss, Skadden was targeted by the Trump administration with a letter threatening an investigation by the Equal Employment & Opportunity Commission over its alleged Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. After seeing Paul, Weiss bend the knee and being stonewalled by partners at Skadden about how the firm intended to respond to the EEOC letter, Cohen decided to take a stand.
“I resigned because I anticipated that my own firm’s lack of response was indicative of their willingness to cut a deal with the Trump administration if need be,” she said.
Cohen was right. Before Trump even issued an executive order punishing the firm, Skadden cut its own deal on March 28.