The lawyers departing Willkie Farr & Gallagher for Cooley include Simona Agnolucci and Benedict Hur, both described by Willkie Farr in 2019 as “highly regarded rising stars” when they were recruited to launch the firm’s Bay Area presence. Their departure is part of a broader exodus from law firms that made deals with Donald Trump’s administration in order to avoid heavy sanctions.

Mr Trump issued a series of executive orders designed to punish firms he viewed as hostile – those that represented political opponents or pursued cases he disapproved of. These orders sought to strip targeted firms of federal contracts and bar their employees from entering federal buildings or securing government employment.

Firms warned that these penalties posed a serious threat to their viability. Four legal practices filed lawsuits challenging the legality of the orders. So far, courts have struck down Mr Trump’s sanctions against three of them – Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Perkins Coie – with Cooley representing Jenner & Block in its case.

In contrast, nine other firms reached settlements with the Trump administration, collectively pledging nearly $1 billion in pro bono legal work for causes such as veterans’ services. These deals provoked widespread discontent across the legal profession. Some clients have transferred their business from firms that cooperated with the administration to those that fought its actions. The firms that struck deals have also faced internal fallout, with high-profile partners and younger associates departing in large numbers.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, the first major firm to reach a settlement with the administration, has been particularly affected. In recent weeks, it has lost several notable figures, including four partners who left to establish a new firm, followed by others.

Last month, a federal judge struck down the order targeting Jenner & Block, describing it as “an unconstitutional act of retaliation”. Similar rulings were issued in the cases involving WilmerHale and Perkins Coie.

A further case brought by Susman Godfrey remains unresolved, though a judge has temporarily blocked most of the measures imposed against it. The Department of Justice has not yet indicated whether it intends to appeal any of the decisions.