What Did The Skadden Letter Say?
In a strongly worded letter delivered to Executive Partner Jeremy London this week, 80 Skadden alumni expressed their “profound disappointment and deep outrage” regarding the firm’s recent deal with President Trump given that the firm has diversity in its DNA.
The protest highlights growing tensions within elite law firms over balancing business interests with core legal values.
The deals done by firms like Skaddens and Paul Weiss has already had a significant effect upon younger lawyers and potential recruitment efforts in future by those not prepared to tolerate the arrangements made by biglaw firms with the Trump administration over the executive orders.
The letter may be read below –
Over 80 former Skadden lawyers have taken a bold stand against their alma mater’s recent agreement with President Donald Trump, citing concerns about professional ethics and the firm’s historical commitment to justice.
Professional Values
The letter emphasizes how every Skadden professional has been instilled with the values of founding partner Joe Flom, (pictured) who was known for championing diversity, hiring the firm’s first female associate, and establishing the Skadden Fellowship Foundation to support legal advocacy for marginalized communities.
Skadden Arps was also a firm largely established by Jewish lawyers like Flom who were prevented from joining the major white shoe New York law firms. Diversity is within the firm’s DNA.
“At a time when rule of law, freedom of speech, and the adversarial system collectively face existential threat, Skadden’s agreement with President Trump emboldened him to further undermine our democracy,” the letter states. The alumni further criticized their former firm for what they characterize as capitulating to pressure rather than standing with peer firms that were “fighting to uphold the Constitution”.
Growing Professional Dissent
The protest letter garnered 83 signatures from former Skadden professionals spanning multiple generations, including five former partners. Notably, 31 signatories chose to remain anonymous, identifying themselves only by their final title and tenure at the firm, citing concerns about professional repercussions.
Among the signatories were three recent departures from the firm, Thomas Sipp, Brenna Frey, and Rachel Cohen, who had resigned specifically in protest of Skadden’s position.
The letter urges the firm to “clearly affirm the firm’s commitment to reject the administration’s attacks on the judiciary, the Constitution, and rule of law before it’s too late”.
Rachel Cohen, who left her associate position two weeks ago, expressed her perspective: “I am viscerally disappointed by the failures and cowardice of Skadden leadership, including many individuals who previously had my deep respect. But I am heartened and unsurprised by the number of Skadden staff, associates and alumni who are holding leadership accountable and fighting to save not just the firm’s reputation, but the future of the American legal system itself”.
Broader Movement
This action by the Skadden lawyers follows a similar protest from alumni of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, who sent a letter to Chairman Brad Karp objecting to that firm’s comparable agreement with President Trump. That letter continues to gain additional signatories, reaching 174 signatures in its most recent update.
Elizabeth J. Grossman, a Paul Weiss alumna and Executive Director of Common Cause Illinois who helped organize the earlier letter, connected these protests to larger concerns within the legal community.
“This letter from Skadden alumni is part of a growing movement of attorneys outraged that some of the nation’s most prestigious and wealthiest law firms are buckling under pressure from the White House and turning their backs on the rule of law in this country”.
