Kirkland Talks Deal With Trump White House, Looks to Avoid Order

The wealthiest law firm in the world is in talks with the Trump administration on a deal designed to avert an executive order like those aimed at some of its competitors.

Kirkland & Ellis is looking to join a growing list of firms cutting deals with Trump, which already include $340 million in total pledges to provide free legal services on issues the White House supports. A person familiar with the situation confirmed the discussions, first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The firm proactively contacted the Trump administration, the person said. Kirkland and the White House didn’t immediately return requests for comment.

Trump has issued a string of executive orders targeting other firms for their ties to his perceived enemies and work on causes he opposes. The orders—against Perkins Coie, Paul Weiss, WilmerHale, and Jenner & Block—threatened to revoke lawyers’ security clearances, restrict their access to federal buildings, and cancel their clients’ government contracts.

Three firms won court rulings temporarily blocking directives targeting them. Paul Weiss negotiated a deal to have the order against it withdrawn, while others—Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Willkie Farr & Gallagher; and Milbank LLP—reached preemptive agreements with the White House. Those deals include the pro bono pledges, as well as promises to avoid “illegal DEI discrimination” and recruit lawyers from a full spectrum of political leanings.

Kirkland has not been hit with an executive order, but it’s among 20 major firms facing inquiries from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over possible discrimination in diversity programs. Trump called for the probes as part of the order targeting Perkins Coie.

Kirkland raked in nearly $9 billion in revenue in 2024, with profits per equity partner hitting $9.25 million.

The firm’s rapid rise to the legal industry’s top player has been fueled by work for private equity giants like Blackstone Inc., KKR & Co. Inc., Thoma Bravo, and Vista Equity Partners. Its lawyers guided global mergers and acquisitions transactions worth about $138 billion over the first quarter to lead Bloomberg Law’s league tables.

Many of Kirkland’s partners have embraced the firm’s hard-nosed reputation as “wolves in wolves clothing.”