Why Trump’s $1 billion pro bono deals with elite law firms are delivering far less than promised

Firm leaders say they have received minimal follow-up from the White House, with Trump’s lawyer Boris Epshteyn serving as the main point of contact.

Nine major law firms that publicly committed to provide roughly $1 billion in pro bono services for causes favoured by US President Donald Trump have delivered unevenly on their pledges. Some have treated the agreements as unenforceable, taking on little or no extra work, while others are counting existing projects toward their targets. Kirkland & Ellis has gone further than most, assisting the administration in trade negotiations with Japan and South Korea — work not explicitly outlined in its pledge, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Origins of the agreements

The deals emerged after Trump issued executive orders in February threatening firms’ access to federal buildings, security clearances, and government contracts over diversity practices and ties to his political opponents. Paul Weiss was the first to sign, committing $40 million in pro bono work for veterans and anti-antisemitism initiatives. Similar agreements followed with Kirkland & Ellis, Simpson Thacher, A&O Shearman, and others, announced by Trump on his Truth Social account rather than through formal contracts.

Limited enforcement and waning leverage

Firm leaders say they have received minimal follow-up from the White House, with Trump’s lawyer Boris Epshteyn serving as the main point of contact. Four firms that refused to sign have since won court challenges against Trump’s executive orders, reinforcing perceptions that the agreements carry little legal weight. Justice Department lawyers have indicated that further sanctions “may never happen,” undercutting the administration’s leverage.

Strain on public-interest litigation

Nonprofit groups report that firms bound by the deals have been less willing to take on pro bono cases challenging the administration. Several organizations have had to hire in-house counsel to replace legal services once provided by these firms at no cost. Meanwhile, conservative groups, landlords, and political donors have sought help under the deals, but most requests have gone unanswered.

Practical hurdles to meeting commitments

For smaller signatory firms, the scale of the promises makes completion unlikely. Cadwalader, for example, typically handles $5–$7 million in annual pro bono work but committed to $100 million, a target that could take decades to meet at its current pace. Proposed partnerships, such as providing free services to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, have not materialized.

Future accountability efforts

Conservative watchdog the Oversight Project plans to publish compliance “grades” for participating firms, saying it has offered them a broad menu of cases without much uptake. While the initiative has not produced the wave of high-profile legal support for Trump-aligned causes that backers hoped for, it has reshaped the pro bono landscape by discouraging some top firms from engaging in litigation against the administration.