West Coast Willkie Farr attorneys are leaving en masse because the firm bent a knee to Donald Trump, pledging $100 million in pro bono payola to avoid an unconstitutional Executive Order targeting the firm, and the tremendous harm that can bring. And they’re heading to a firm with a proven track record of standing up to the Trump administration, Cooley. While the departing partners (and the books of business they represent) are garnering the most attention, associates are also part of the exodus — and they’ve got something to say.
As reported by Law.com, the total number of Willkie attorneys headed to Cooley is currently 13. And several of the associates making the move have taken to LinkedIn to express their feelings about their soon-to-be-former firm.
“I didn’t want to leave. But as soon as the firm decided to make a deal with the Trump administration, I knew that I could not stay,” wrote Isabella McKinley Corbo in a LinkedIn post. “When I became a lawyer, I took an oath to defend the Constitution. I believe that Willkie’s decision to capitulate to Trump violated that oath. It was a grave mistake-–one that I believe history will judge harshly, as it will all firms that made this choice.”
“I am privileged and proud to be joining many of my mentors from Willkie who did just that by departing last week for Cooley LLP, a firm with a proven record of fighting this administration, rather than bowing to a would-be autocrat,” Corbo continued.
“From the moment I first interviewed at Willkie as a 1L, I felt like I had found a home—one filled with brilliant advocates who meet their work each day with courage, kindness, and tenacity,” wrote Remy Carreiro on LinkedIn. “It is because of this that I was so heartbroken when Willkie chose to make a deal with Trump in April. This decision was, and continues to be, wrong.”
“If you had asked me on March 31, I would have said I had no immediate plans to leave [Willkie] – it truly has felt like home for these past two years. But the decision to make a deal with Trump is not a decision that I can live with or be a part of. It was the wrong decision and one that history will not be (and has not been) kind to,” wrote Emily Abbey. “It’s an immense privilege to be joining the seven courageous, principled partners who left this firm for Cooley LLP, a firm that has a demonstrated record of fighting the administration, not rolling over.”
It’s just more evidence that many attorneys want to distance themselves from the stink of capitulation.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].
