Wake Up Call: Skadden Lawyer Quits Over Firm’s Response to Trump

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• An associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom publicly resigned in protest of her firm’s inaction amid the Trump administration’s pressure on Big Law firms to abandon DEI initiatives. Rachel Cohen called on Skadden to oppose Trump’s efforts, support Perkins Coie‘s lawsuit against the administration, and commit to diversity programs, but upon not seeing action, she quit. (Business Insider)
• Progressive legal group Democracy Forward is emerging as one of the leading legal forces against the Trump administration, having successfully challenged the president’s efforts to purge federal employees, dismantle agencies, and freeze government spending. The group, which has filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of federal workers, is coordinating with civil society groups and state attorneys general to counter federal policies in court. (HuffPost)
• Randy Mastro, a former top aide to Rudy Giuliani, was appointed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams as deputy mayor. His nomination to be New York City’s top lawyer was previously withdrawn due to City Council concerns over his legal record. Mastro has built a reputation as an aggressive attorney with a roster of clients challenging the city’s policies, including representing New Jersey in its failed lawsuit against congestion pricing. (Gothamist)
• Slaughter and May lawyers representing BHP in a UK group-litigation claim were reprimanded in court for discreetly passing around candy during the trial. The six-month case has reportedly taken a toll on legal teams, with Slaughter and May partners developing a “massive sweets habit” to endure the long days. A court clerk eventually intervened, instructing them to put the snacks away before the judge entered. (RollOnFriday)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Laura Smolowe joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld as a litigation partner in its complex commercial and labor and employment litigation practices in Los Angeles. She joins from Munger, Tolles & Olson.
• Martin Gitlin joined Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough as a partner in its energy, infrastructure, and project finance team in New York. He joins from Clean Energy Counsel.