Seven partners from the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher are leaving the firm after it reached an agreement with the Trump administration, moving instead to Cooley, which challenged Trump’s executive actions in court. The departing lawyers include Simona Agnolucci and Benedict Hur, who were key figures in launching Willkie Farr’s San Francisco office. This move reflects a broader trend of lawyers leaving firms that made deals with the Trump administration to avoid sanctions. Trump had issued executive orders targeting firms he perceived as adversaries, threatening them with loss of government contracts and access to federal buildings. Some firms fought these orders in court, with judges ruling against Trump’s actions as unconstitutional. Willkie Farr’s decision to make a deal with Trump left some employees disillusioned, leading to the current exodus. Cooley announced that the seven attorneys would join its global litigation department in San Francisco.
— new from The Washington Post
