How a Trump Deal Cost Wilkie Farr Its SF Core
Tom Borman, LawFuel contributor
In early April 2025, Wilkie Farr & Gallagher struck a high-stakes deal with the Trump administration: a commitment to provide $100 million in pro bono services—and a controversial pledge to limit diversity initiatives—to dodge punitive executive orders.
That deal has now triggered a legal talent landslide. Seven well-established litigation partners, mainly from the San Francisco office, have abandoned ship for Cooley LLP, who have actively challenged those Trump orders in court.
Who Left & Where They’re Going
These departing partners are:
- Simona Agnolucci — Former Bay Area office leader and Wilkie executive committee member
- Benedict “Ben” Hur (pictured) — Co‑lead with Agnolucci, recruiter of key tech clients
- Joshua Anderson
- Tiffany Lin
- Jonathan Patchen
- Michael Rome
- Eduardo Santacana
All seven are joining Cooley’s San Francisco litigation team, reinforcing Cooley’s reputation as the legal counterweight to the Trump administration’s hard-lined firm tactics.
Why They Left
1. Ethical conflict & principled stand
Sources reveal that Agnolucci and Hur, among others, were frustrated with Wilkie’s “capitulation” over the Trump deal—seeing it as more survivalist than principled.
Junior associates reportedly began hinting that they’d jump ship if leadership didn’t push back—faster than some senior partners—a signal that internal morale had already eroded .
2. Clients followed clarity
For attorneys who’ve defended major tech giants like Google in antitrust suits, the political optics matter. Clients prefer law firms that aren’t seen as bending to political pressure. Cooley’s decision to actively fight Trump’s executive orders (e.g., representing Jenner & Block) offered founders and corporate counsel a safer harbor abovethelaw.com+8reuters.com+8wsj.com+8.
3. Bolstering a cause-led brand
Wilkie’s deal aimed to protect federal business-access—but at a reputational cost. Meanwhile, Cooley positioned itself as a firm that will “stand up” to White House overreach—appealing to lawyers who wanted their work to line up with their convictions .
Fallout for Wilkie Farr
Wilkie leadership has offered polite well-wishes, but the exodus is no minor blemish. The departure of seven partners—and an estimated 20 others from its West Coast office—threatens to hollow out nearly an entire practice vertical in San Francisco, where Wilkie banked on tech-driven growth .
Doug Emhoff, former Second Gentleman, remains—yet has publicly disagreed with the Trump deal and reportedly urged the firm to fight it
