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Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft balked at having one of its partners represent Donald Trump in his criminal cases. Now the firm is among those that have been pushed to agree to a deal with the White House.
- April 7, 2025, 5:19 p.m. ET
As a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, Wall Street’s oldest law firm, Todd Blanche had represented people close to President Trump over the years.
But in 2023, when Mr. Trump was facing multiple criminal investigations and Mr. Blanche wanted to represent him, most of the firm’s leadership balked at the idea, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
So, Mr. Blanche left Cadwalader, hanging out his own legal shingle and expressing bitterness to some allies that he had to do so to take on Mr. Trump as a client, one of the people said.
While Mr. Blanche’s loyalty earned him a reward — Mr. Trump appointed him deputy attorney general — Cadwalader is now bracing for some blowback.
As the White House ramps up its attacks on major law firms — imposing executive orders against some and striking deals with others — Cadwalader recently learned that it might become ensnared in Mr. Trump’s wide-ranging crackdown, according to four people with knowledge of the discussions.
One of Mr. Trump’s advisers has been in touch with the firm to suggest that it sign a deal in which it would offer tens of millions of dollars in pro bono legal services to causes that the Trump administration supports.
