As President Trump issues executive orders targeting law firms for their past legal work or diversity efforts, most large firms have opted to strike deals rather than push back — a response shaped by the hyper-competitive “talent war” that has reshaped Big Law. The rise of high-paid, mobile deal-making partners has eroded firm loyalty and made collective action nearly impossible. Fearing client losses and partner defections, firms like Paul Weiss, Kirkland & Ellis, and Simpson Thacher have prioritized business stability over public resistance, while a few litigation-heavy firms like WilmerHale and Susman Godfrey have chosen to fight.