In the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections, a number of prominent law firms that previously provided vigorous legal opposition to former President Donald Trump have largely withdrawn from efforts to counteract his influence, raising concerns among voting rights advocates and legal experts.
Norm Eisen, a longtime legal opponent of Trump and current leader of the Democracy Defenders Fund, described Brad Karp, chairman of the law firm Paul Weiss, as a critical ally in past efforts to hold Trump accountable. Karp and his firm had offered pro bono legal counsel and substantial resources to challenge Trump’s policies and actions. However, Eisen said Paul Weiss, along with other major firms, is now largely absent from voting rights and election-related cases targeting Trump’s administration.
This shift follows a controversial series of agreements made early in Trump’s second term between Trump and nine top-tier law firms, including Paul Weiss. These firms pledged nearly a billion dollars in free legal services to advance causes favored by Trump in exchange for relief from potentially damaging executive orders. The deals have raised doubts about whether these firms are willing or able to confront the former president’s efforts to sow doubt about election results.
A review of public records and interviews with election lawyers and democracy advocates suggest that few of these firms are actively involved in the legal battles addressing election interference or voting rights protection. Some firms have removed references to their voting rights work from their websites, while others have quietly limited their involvement. At one such firm, lawyers reportedly volunteer to support voting rights causes covertly, concerned that their participation might not be approved by firm leadership.
The impact appears to extend beyond the firms directly involved in the agreements. Even some top 100 U.S. law firms that have not made deals with Trump have reportedly refrained from taking politically sensitive cases out of fear of retaliation. This reluctance has affected longstanding partnerships between private law firms and civil rights organizations.
John Powers, legal director at the Advancement Project—a group that frequently collaborates with private firms on voting rights litigation—said the organization has faced multiple rejections from law firms unwilling to engage in cases involving Trump’s administration. In a recent case filed alongside the NAACP against the Justice Department’s election-monitoring plans, the Advancement Project had to proceed without a private legal partner. Powers noted that some firm partners have scaled back support or agreed to participate only anonymously.
Historically, major law firms have played an important role in civil rights and voting rights litigation, often accepting low-paying cases to uphold democratic principles. These cases have served as a recruitment incentive for young lawyers, combining meaningful pro bono work with lucrative corporate practice. During previous elections, firms deployed lawyers in key states to respond swiftly to disputes and provide legal aid at polling stations.
Paul Weiss, which was a prominent advocate in landmark voting rights litigation dating back to 1965, has notably removed much of its prior public information on election-related work since making its deal with Trump in March 2025. The firm touted significant political donations to Democrats in 2024 but has not responded to requests for details on current voting rights cases.
Some firms that made agreements with Trump have either merged with others or declined to comment on their engagement with election-related legal work. Legal experts say the firms’ withdrawal diminishes capacity within the profession to respond effectively to election threats, which have already manifested through lawsuits alleging fraud and attempting to disrupt vote counting.
Despite these challenges, Eisen and others leading independent legal coalitions say they have sufficient resources and talented lawyers willing to confront election interference. Eisen acknowledged that while firms like Paul Weiss would be welcome allies, their existing arrangements with Trump’s administration undermine trust and limit their ability to provide zealous representation.
As the nation prepares for another contentious election cycle, the role of private law firms in safeguarding voting rights remains uncertain, with implications for the broader legal community’s willingness to stand against political pressures.