Wake Up Call: Sullivan & Cromwell Co-Chair Cozies Up 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.

• Robert Giuffra, co-chair of Sullivan & Cromwell, has assumed a rare and influential role as a trusted legal adviser to Donald Trump, representing him in litigation as well as helping to broker Paul Weiss’ deal with the president. Giuffra’s engagement with Trump has helped to keep his firm out of the administration’s crosshairs amid a broader crackdown on Big Law. (The Wall Street Journal)
• Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings is facing scrutiny for accepting all-expense-paid trips funded by the Attorney General Alliance, including a 2023 trip to South Africa that featured luxury accommodations, fine dining, a safari, and legal conferences. While Jennings insists no taxpayer money was used, critics argue the trips—attended by lobbyists from major corporations—should be disclosed as gifts under state law. (WHYY)
• Legal recruiting firm Major, Lindsey & Africa quietly removed all traces of DEI from its website—scrubbing internal employee groups and public statements without notifying staff. The move follows a broader political backlash against DEI, and comes as the firm faces a lawsuit from a Black lawyer who alleges the firm blackballed her after she sued her former firm for discrimination. (RollOnFriday)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• Philip Pfeffer joined Jones Day as a partner in its business and tort litigation practice in New York.
• Janet Howe joined Holland & Hart as a partner in its environmental litigation practice in Phoenix. She joins from Perkins Coie.
• Matthew Levine joined Buchalter as a shareholder in its real estate practice in Scottsdale, Ariz.