If Paul Weiss won’t stand up, who will?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can all the "not all white women", "not me, I'm an ally", "you are being just as bad" women just stop for a second? Why is your first response to snap back when a black woman has expressed her exasperation with a population that rarely has her back? Majorities of white women voted for Trump in every single election. They weren't all in flyover states, they weren't all uneducated and there are definitely liberal white women who would rather center themselves in a discussion like this rather than listen.

I would be pissed and furious if I was a black woman and I'm pissed on their behalf. They have consistently voted to uphold democracy in the narrowest of victories whether Alabama Senate races, or the 2020 election. They have the highest turnout numbers. As for black people in general, that 14% is doing a lot more
for democracy than our majority, that's for sure.

You need to give people room to vent. If this was a betrayed Ukrainian or Canadian right now, you'd be "I'm mad too" But the clap back at a black woman is your very first instinct. On November 7, most black women on Twitter were expressing some form of this sentiment. They are so damn tired and after our nation narrowly scraping though in 2020 thanks to their work in Georgia and their amazing canvassing, we gave it all away in 2024 if were are to believe the polling (I for one don't trust it given the anomalies).

Yes, we all need to fight together, but getting black women back to the table isn't going to happen if you lecture them. They have carried far more of the load for too long. Acknowledge their work, show some humility, stop advertising what you've done and just listen. Then let's get to work.

“Why is your first response to snap back when a black woman has expressed her exasperation with a population that rarely has her back?”

For the millionth time: people that share the same skin color are not a monolith and should not be spoken of as such. “White women” is just a concept. Individuals are more than their race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It will be women. It usually is. Men fall for this tough guy routine but women are repulsed by it. We see through it. We also have more at stake.

I think you mean Black women, because white women continue to back the white patriarchy whenever it really counts. And honestly, as one of those Black women, I am sick and tired of trying to save y'all from yourselves. At this point, bring on the segregation, because I do not trust white people. You all voted for this because you couldn't swallow righting the wrongs of the past and not being given the advantages you've become to believe you're entitled to. 400 years of slavery, 100 years of Jim Crow, and maybe 20 years of affirmative action y'all want to chuck the constitution.

You’re talking to me, a 54 year old suburban white woman who has never voted for a republican. I marched Selma, Alabama for one of the Bloody Sunday anniversaries. I support SPLC. .None of my white female friends are republicans either. We voted for Kamala. We’re all boycotting companies that dumped DEI, and we’re calling our representatives. Your stereotypes and anger toward us as a group is unreasonable and not helpful.

You sound like people who say #notallmen

If she’s not talking about you because you’re not like the people she’s talking about, she’s not talking about you.

— White woman

No. She was quote replying to me and lumping me in with “y’all”. I don’t judge her by the color of her skin and I am asking just the same of her. And, oh, I don’t dare wear a pin or a bracelet to let her know I hate Trump and the GOP, or else I’d be mocked for that too. But she’ll assume the worst of me until she “gets to know me.” Imagine a white woman saying that about a black woman. It’s appalling.

Thank you. Glad to see that at least some of you “get it” but this thread is a disappointment and does not bode well for unity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This to me was absolutely shocking. Who is going to stand up to them now? There was no one better equipped for this fight.

I called. Karo in NY.(After 7 pm tonight) as ND live person as answered phone and told her I wanted to.lesbe a message about Karp's decision to have to trump, she immediately put me through to.his voice mail.

Here is s NY number 212-373-3316.

An Associate in DC office resigned in protest today

[Anonymous]

Schumer's brother is a partner at this law firm. Connect the dots. Schumer keeps selling his constituents out - first with the budget and then calling in a favor for his brother. Schumer is a rat and he HAS to go.

https://www.paulweiss.com/professionals/partners-and-counsel/robert-b-schumer

[Anonymous]

The only unity I care about at this point is putting a torch to all things MAGA and all those who sold us out to MAGA.

This needs to end and we need to take our country back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. Meant to mention that I am also a former Big Law partner (at another firm that has been targeted). I am baffled by how this passed the full partnership. As someone said up thread, this negotiating was crap. Gave away way more than needed. I would not want this firm handling a major matter for me.


I can only assume the rest of the partnership had no idea.

Do we think this managing partner, who
Bundles money for DS, panicked and thoughjr this was the only way to save his job?

Honestly, at this point, behind-the-scenes blackmail is starting to make sense as an explanation for how SO many have capitulated without a fight. Paul Weiss, Columbia, Schumer, Disney, the hosts of Morning Joe, all of the who's whos of Silicon Valley from Alphabet to Apple to Meta to OpenAI, and so many more. This isn't the first time institutions and public figures have been targeted by an administration with autocratic aspirations (Dubya comes to mind). I can't recall having seen this type of rolling over and showing of the belly by the powerful since McCarthyism, however.

But that’s just it. It’s McCarthyism combined with early 1930a history. History these people have forgotten. Appeasement doesn’t work. It just leads to being complicit.

All those people who reflexively say “never again” on Holocaust Remembrance Day should wake the f&ck up. This is how you get to “again” - by trying to appease would-be dictators. Maybe the current dictator wannabe isn’t interested in murdering 12 million people or conquering territory, but that’s just our good fortune. Because the stage is being set for that to be accomplished if he or his successor wanted to go that route.

Paul Weiss, Columbia, Congress, and everyone else who is capitulating or hoping to profit or turn the moment to their advantage are cowards who have forgotten history they should know.

But a lot of us haven’t forgotten. And we will fight authoritarianism.

How?

How will you fight it?

How should we fight it?

I’m a lawyer and my colleagues and I are fighting it, but it seems small and scattershot. Needless to say, it’s not really working (hard to curb illegal behavior when the administration ignores court orders and calls to impeach judges).

So, what’s the plan for the opposition party and individuals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. Meant to mention that I am also a former Big Law partner (at another firm that has been targeted). I am baffled by how this passed the full partnership. As someone said up thread, this negotiating was crap. Gave away way more than needed. I would not want this firm handling a major matter for me.


I can only assume the rest of the partnership had no idea.

Do we think this managing partner, who
Bundles money for DS, panicked and thoughjr this was the only way to save his job?

Honestly, at this point, behind-the-scenes blackmail is starting to make sense as an explanation for how SO many have capitulated without a fight. Paul Weiss, Columbia, Schumer, Disney, the hosts of Morning Joe, all of the who's whos of Silicon Valley from Alphabet to Apple to Meta to OpenAI, and so many more. This isn't the first time institutions and public figures have been targeted by an administration with autocratic aspirations (Dubya comes to mind). I can't recall having seen this type of rolling over and showing of the belly by the powerful since McCarthyism, however.

But that’s just it. It’s McCarthyism combined with early 1930a history. History these people have forgotten. Appeasement doesn’t work. It just leads to being complicit.

All those people who reflexively say “never again” on Holocaust Remembrance Day should wake the f&ck up. This is how you get to “again” - by trying to appease would-be dictators. Maybe the current dictator wannabe isn’t interested in murdering 12 million people or conquering territory, but that’s just our good fortune. Because the stage is being set for that to be accomplished if he or his successor wanted to go that route.

Paul Weiss, Columbia, Congress, and everyone else who is capitulating or hoping to profit or turn the moment to their advantage are cowards who have forgotten history they should know.

But a lot of us haven’t forgotten. And we will fight authoritarianism.

How?

How will you fight it?

How should we fight it?

I’m a lawyer and my colleagues and I are fighting it, but it seems small and scattershot. Needless to say, it’s not really working (hard to curb illegal behavior when the administration ignores court orders and calls to impeach judges).

So, what’s the plan for the opposition party and individuals?

I don’t have a comprehensive plan. But I do know bowing the knee isn’t it. Normalizing isn’t it. Rolling over and giving and and ignoring because it seems too big isn’t it. Individuals are protesting and using economic power, attorneys are suing on their behalf (and winning), some firms like Perkins fight back. Speaking out and refusing to concede are crucial. That’s what we do to start and see where momentum goes. But there is none if everyone just submits at the first sign of challenge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Republican voters want Trump in charge. The next President will be another populist Republican. That’s why Paul Weiss isn’t fighting Trump. Bezos, Zuckerberg, every Fortune 500 CEO canceling DEI programs with relief… what do they all know that we don’t know?

Populism is fundamentally opposite of the techno billionaires, though. I don’t see how this can last beyond Trump. Unless it’ll just be bread and circuses and no free press forever more. Which could happen.

No, Republican populism is better for business. Corporate leaders prefer meritocracy to affirmative action, a healthy middle class consumer to further increased in income inequality, lower crime to BLM, and closed borders to illegal immigrant chaos.

Corporations already sucked everything they could out of the Dems. Heck, the Dems fully abandoned the middle class and working class for their corporate donors. Now corporations are going to ride the Republicans for a couple decades. Corps have shifted to where the voters, workers, and consumers are. They’ll still market luxury goods to upper middle class Dems, but that group isn’t all that big.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. Meant to mention that I am also a former Big Law partner (at another firm that has been targeted). I am baffled by how this passed the full partnership. As someone said up thread, this negotiating was crap. Gave away way more than needed. I would not want this firm handling a major matter for me.


I can only assume the rest of the partnership had no idea.

Do we think this managing partner, who
Bundles money for DS, panicked and thoughjr this was the only way to save his job?

Honestly, at this point, behind-the-scenes blackmail is starting to make sense as an explanation for how SO many have capitulated without a fight. Paul Weiss, Columbia, Schumer, Disney, the hosts of Morning Joe, all of the who's whos of Silicon Valley from Alphabet to Apple to Meta to OpenAI, and so many more. This isn't the first time institutions and public figures have been targeted by an administration with autocratic aspirations (Dubya comes to mind). I can't recall having seen this type of rolling over and showing of the belly by the powerful since McCarthyism, however.

But that’s just it. It’s McCarthyism combined with early 1930a history. History these people have forgotten. Appeasement doesn’t work. It just leads to being complicit.

All those people who reflexively say “never again” on Holocaust Remembrance Day should wake the f&ck up. This is how you get to “again” - by trying to appease would-be dictators. Maybe the current dictator wannabe isn’t interested in murdering 12 million people or conquering territory, but that’s just our good fortune. Because the stage is being set for that to be accomplished if he or his successor wanted to go that route.

Paul Weiss, Columbia, Congress, and everyone else who is capitulating or hoping to profit or turn the moment to their advantage are cowards who have forgotten history they should know.

But a lot of us haven’t forgotten. And we will fight authoritarianism.

How?

How will you fight it?

How should we fight it?

I’m a lawyer and my colleagues and I are fighting it, but it seems small and scattershot. Needless to say, it’s not really working (hard to curb illegal behavior when the administration ignores court orders and calls to impeach judges).

So, what’s the plan for the opposition party and individuals?

I don’t have a comprehensive plan. But I do know bowing the knee isn’t it. Normalizing isn’t it. Rolling over and giving and and ignoring because it seems too big isn’t it. Individuals are protesting and using economic power, attorneys are suing on their behalf (and winning), some firms like Perkins fight back. Speaking out and refusing to concede are crucial. That’s what we do to start and see where momentum goes. But there is none if everyone just submits at the first sign of challenge.

Right.

That’s what we are doing…but it’s not really moving the needle.

Where’s the leadership?

Where’s the organized opposition?

The demonstrations are too small.

The lawsuits are whack a mole solutions to single issues…and are meaningless when the administration refuses to comply.

Why hasn’t anyone figured a way to kick musk out?

Why isn’t congress concerned enough to take action? Heck, why are certain Dems sniping at each other instead of rallying the party to March in lockstep against the dismantling of our government?

And why the hell did a law firm bend over backwards to pay Trump $40M???

^^^
Now he knows he can bully anyone and win. Why not continue down that path?

Again: my day job is basically advocating against the dangerous things this administration is doing. And I don’t own a Tesla. And I don’t shop at target. Etc. What else can be done? Litigation will continue. Daily emails to the Hill will continue. But it’s not enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Republican voters want Trump in charge. The next President will be another populist Republican. That’s why Paul Weiss isn’t fighting Trump. Bezos, Zuckerberg, every Fortune 500 CEO canceling DEI programs with relief… what do they all know that we don’t know?

They know they want $. That’s all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely believe that Trump is blackmailing his way through our democracy. I suspect Putin is providing him with intel and now Musk has access to darn near everything. It's incredible watching people fall, whether it's Chuck Schumer/other Dems, giant companies, journalists, etc. He could be threatening them with anything.

You know what, I think you're right and I'm not even kidding. Blackmail absolutely explains why people and institutions like Chuck Schumer and Paul Weiss who have the resources to fight back have rolled over. Honestly, I don't think he needs Russia when Musk has access to everyone's Twitter DMs and activity from day 1. Back when Twitter was in it's heyday and a staunch backer of all things liberal/progressive, I would not be surprised if a lot of people did things via DM that they would never want to see a lot of day. Can you imagine what public figures did on secret alt accounts as well? The level of kompromat must be astonishing.

You might be right but if so how awful is it that so many people are black mailable? I can’t think of a single secret someone could blackmail me about. People should be more boring!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Paul Weiss is a business. They deal with reality, not with wishful political thinking. Obviously they are expecting Republicans to be in charge for the next few cycles.

Lawyers have greater responsibilities than simply making money. The decision is a disgrace to the firm, and this DC lawyer has lost respect for the firm.

If I were till in a position of hiring big firms (I was deputy general counsel to a bank), I would think twice about PW's ability to zealously represent my interests before the federal government. They have proven they won't stand up for themselves, why would I believe they would stand up for me?

True but the only prosecution will be political. So maybe PW has shown it has enough connections to mitigate Trump’s attacks? Though PW was founded on different philosophy. It seems that philosophy will not work in the current environment or current courts.

I was head of litigation for a major local company until a few years ago when I retired. This is going to be subtle. At least in our area, attorneys and in house counsel are moderate to left. Lots of white women in charge. No one is going to make a fuss to statement or “fire” PW over this. But they will hire someone else for next case. These law firms really don’t get that there are many many good law firms to choose from and decisions and made on the most basic level of do you like these people. Competence assumed. The PW attorneys with unique expertise will be fine but the rest should worry. As outside counsel I would also worry about their ability to recruit good new attorneys.

Most law firms only trumpeted their DEI platforms because many clients wanted to know what they were doing to diversify. The client base is MUCH more diverse than the law firms and many of the clients have been saying for years that they want to see someone other than just white men on their team. (And incidentally, the PP complaint about DEI negatively impacting Asians is totally wrong kn the law firm world. Maybe that’s true in engineering but Asians are also still underrepresented at law firms and DEI definitely benefits them here, as it does white women.). Also, let me say that some of the stupidest lawyers I’ve met are the old white Booker guys who got their partnership by playing golf and coming from the right fraternity (my assumption since they clearly didn’t get it based on their legal skills). I don’t know about other industries but diversity initiatives were really needed at BigLaw, because the natural inclination of the industry is just to hire people that look like the people already there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Paul Weiss is a business. They deal with reality, not with wishful political thinking. Obviously they are expecting Republicans to be in charge for the next few cycles.

Trump is in charge not republicans

Same. The Republican political party = Trump party. No daylight.

It’s fine if you still consider yourself a republican but the fantasy that that old institution is coming back is just that.

A delusional fantasy. It’s gone, dead, finito.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Republican voters want Trump in charge. The next President will be another populist Republican. That’s why Paul Weiss isn’t fighting Trump. Bezos, Zuckerberg, every Fortune 500 CEO canceling DEI programs with relief… what do they all know that we don’t know?

Populism is fundamentally opposite of the techno billionaires, though. I don’t see how this can last beyond Trump. Unless it’ll just be bread and circuses and no free press forever more. Which could happen.

No, Republican populism is better for business. Corporate leaders prefer meritocracy to affirmative action, a healthy middle class consumer to further increased in income inequality, lower crime to BLM, and closed borders to illegal immigrant chaos.

Corporations already sucked everything they could out of the Dems. Heck, the Dems fully abandoned the middle class and working class for their corporate donors. Now corporations are going to ride the Republicans for a couple decades. Corps have shifted to where the voters, workers, and consumers are. They’ll still market luxury goods to upper middle class Dems, but that group isn’t all that big.

What?! That’s not populism. There is no real form of republican populism. Trump saying random crap that never makes it into any policy or law does not count.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. Meant to mention that I am also a former Big Law partner (at another firm that has been targeted). I am baffled by how this passed the full partnership. As someone said up thread, this negotiating was crap. Gave away way more than needed. I would not want this firm handling a major matter for me.


I can only assume the rest of the partnership had no idea.

Do we think this managing partner, who
Bundles money for DS, panicked and thoughjr this was the only way to save his job?

Honestly, at this point, behind-the-scenes blackmail is starting to make sense as an explanation for how SO many have capitulated without a fight. Paul Weiss, Columbia, Schumer, Disney, the hosts of Morning Joe, all of the who's whos of Silicon Valley from Alphabet to Apple to Meta to OpenAI, and so many more. This isn't the first time institutions and public figures have been targeted by an administration with autocratic aspirations (Dubya comes to mind). I can't recall having seen this type of rolling over and showing of the belly by the powerful since McCarthyism, however.

There is no blackmail conspiracy! Just accept that there are many people out there who are craven, and/or ignorant. It’s really that simple.