Why One Lawyer Resigned When His Firm Caved to Trump: An Update

What It Covers

Thomas Sip, a lawyer who resigned from prestigious firm Skadden Arps after it capitulated to Trump administration demands on DEI practices, reflects on his decision eight months later and his subsequent career path.

Key Questions Answered

• •Standing on principle: Sip resigned from Skadden within hours of learning the firm agreed to provide $100 million in pro bono services to Trump-approved causes and hire conservative fellows, viewing the deal as constitutionally baseless capitulation to executive overreach.
• •Career consequences myth: Despite fears of professional ruin, Sip secured a federal clerkship position shortly after resigning, demonstrating that lawyers who resist on ethical grounds can find alternative career paths and that law firm survival fears were overstated excuses prioritizing profits over constitutional oaths.
• •Collective action potential: Sip argues that widespread fear among legal professionals creates opportunity for resistance, asserting that if lawyers collectively stood up against unconstitutional demands, they could reverse democratic backsliding, as law firms that fought back in court remained financially stable.
• •Immigration perspective on democracy: As a Japanese immigrant who arrived in America at age ten speaking limited English, Sip developed his commitment to constitutional principles through experiencing both discrimination and the hopeful promise of American democracy during the 2008 election cycle.