Trump Says He’s Reached $100 Million Pro Bono Deal With Skadden

President Donald Trump announced that he had reached a deal with the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal work for priorities of his administration, the latest instance of a white-shoe firm offering services to avoid possible sanction by the federal government.

The law firm will also fund a fellowship program, commit to merit based hiring and agree not to deny representation based on political beliefs, Trump said.

“This was essentially a settlement,” Trump said at an event in the Oval Office on Friday. “We appreciate Skadden’s coming to the table.”

The White House has signed executive orders restricting some law firms’ ability to do work with the federal government and revoking security clearances, targeting in particular lawyers involved in efforts to prosecute Trump before his return to office. The announcement comes a week after one law firm, Paul Weiss, cut a similar deal with Trump after the president moved to bar the firm’s lawyers from government buildings.

Skadden didn’t immediately respond to a voice-mail and an email message seeking comment on the deal.

(Updates with request for comment in final paragraph.)

--With assistance from Chris Dolmetsch.

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Stephanie Lai in Washington at slai186@bloomberg.net

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Justin Sink, Meghashyam Mali

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