Simpson Thacher Lawyer Quits as Firm ‘Capitulates’ to Trump (1)

A Simpson Thacher & Bartlett associate quit his job after the law firm reached a deal with President Donald Trump to provide $125 million in legal work.

Siunik Moradian fired off an email to colleagues on Friday, resigning moments after the firm announced the agreement. Simpson Thacher, along with several others, pledged pro bono or free legal services for Trump-aligned causes.

“By capitulating today, Simpson Thacher joins several other historic, powerful, influential and well-resourced law firms in bending the knee and kissing the ring of authoritarianism,” Moradian said in the email, viewed by Bloomberg Law.

Firms have pledged $940 million in pro bono work to avoid punitive executive orders, like those targeted at others over their ties to Trump’s perceived enemies and work on cases against him. Simpson Thacher and three other firms also had federal investigations into their diversity programs dropped as part of the agreements.

Simpson Thacher’s “primary goal was the best interest of the firm and what the Trump administration is doing right now goes beyond the best interest of the firm,” Moradian said in an interview. “It goes beyond the best interest of me—a lawyer.”

The third-year associate was based in Simpson Thacher’s Los Angeles office. The Wall Street law firm is a corporate powerhouse, bringing in more than $2.3 billion in gross revenue in 2023.

“This is really serious and it is really frustrating to see a law firm that is incredibly powerful and well-resourced not fight a fight that they are capable of fighting,” he said. “I think that is a sentiment that a lot of people hold.”

Moradian said several colleagues reached out in support immediately after he sent the email.

Simpson Thacher, along with Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Cadwalader, and A&O Shearman agreed Friday to commit at least $600 million combined in pro bono legal services for Trump. They join the likes of Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, and Milbank LLP, which also struck deals with the president.

“Simpson Thacher’s decision today fundamentally changes “who we are as a Firm,” Moradian said, referencing an internal email sent by Simpson Thacher chair Alden Millard. “I make a different choice. I will not sleepwalk toward authoritarianism,” Moradian.

Millard defended the deal as a “strategic decision” in his Friday email. “We know and understand that this development may weigh heavily on some of you and that you may not agree with the path we have taken,” he said.

“Associates are talking about this. Law students are talking about it,” Moradian said. “It’s frustrating if the voice of attorneys'—at large—opinion on this topic are these really sanitized statements by the head of these law firms that, quite frankly, are not taking any of this nearly seriously enough,” he said.

Four firms hit with executive orders have opted to fight.

Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, and Jenner & Block won court orders temporarily blocking the orders, which threatened their lawyers’ security clearances and access to federal buildings and directed agencies to tear up government contracts with the firms’ clients. Susman Godfrey said Thursday it would challenge an executive order leveled against the firm hours earlier.