Milbank partner Neal Katyal is working on behalf of New Jersey “sanctuary cities” — specifically Newark and Hoboken — in litigation against the federal government. The Trump administration filed a complaint against Newark and Hoboken (and two other cites) alleging the jurisdictions were “thwart[ing] federal immigration enforcement.” In order to make the representation financially work, the high-profile litigator (and the other Milbank attorneys working on the matter) slashed his hourly rate some 90%. Katyal normally charges $3,250 an hour, but that will be cut down to only $300 an hour, to be split between Newark and Hoboken. Reuters has the deets on the funding:
Here, Milbank in defending the two cities said it agreed to reduce its standard rates because a third-party — the nonprofit Goodnation Foundation — is picking up part of the legal tab. Hoboken said it will not pay more than $53,000 in any calendar year to Milbank.
In a statement on Friday, the Goodnation Foundation said it may help underwrite legal defense “in select cases where the public interest is served and community needs are paramount.”
The foundation said it does not typically disclose details of its funding, which it said comes from “donors committed to advancing access to justice.”
Given the witch hunt vibes of 2025, it’s news when any law firm stands up to fight the oppressive policies of the Trump administration. But it’s especially eye popping that Milbank is standing up to Trump — and not making its usual big bucks in the process.
See, Milbank is one of the nine Biglaw firms that courted infamy by capitulating to the threats of Donald Trump and agreeing to provide hundred of millions in pro bono payola to conservative clients and causes. These deals have garnered a lot of criticism from around the industry. since the Executive Orders that were threatened were unconstitutional power grabs and many wondered, if a firm won’t stand up to the bullying of the Trump administration for themselves, how will they do it for clients?
So, after showing their belly to Trump, it is noteworthy Milbank is using their lawyerly skill to work against Trump — particularly on immigration, which has been a real sticking point for the administration. And it isn’t the first time — Katyal is also working on the fight against the president’s so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs.
It’s clear that many firms that inked deals with Trump are merely trying to ride it out and are low key hoping that pro bono bill never comes due. But Milbank’s schizophrenic strategy of sucking up to Trump on one hand then railing against key Trumpian initiatives on the other is unique, and it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @Kathryn1@mastodon.social.
The post Massive Slash In Milbank’s Hourly Rate — For Cities Fighting Trump appeared first on Above the Law.
Milbank partner Neal Katyal is working on behalf of New Jersey “sanctuary cities” — specifically Newark and Hoboken — in litigation against the federal government. The Trump administration filed a complaint against Newark and Hoboken (and two other cites) alleging the jurisdictions were “thwart[ing] federal immigration enforcement.” In order to make the representation financially work, the high-profile litigator (and the other Milbank attorneys working on the matter) slashed his hourly rate some 90%. Katyal normally charges $3,250 an hour, but that will be cut down to only $300 an hour, to be split between Newark and Hoboken. Reuters has the deets on the funding:
Here, Milbank in defending the two cities said it agreed to reduce its standard rates because a third-party — the nonprofit Goodnation Foundation — is picking up part of the legal tab. Hoboken said it will not pay more than $53,000 in any calendar year to Milbank.
In a statement on Friday, the Goodnation Foundation said it may help underwrite legal defense “in select cases where the public interest is served and community needs are paramount.”
The foundation said it does not typically disclose details of its funding, which it said comes from “donors committed to advancing access to justice.”
Given the witch hunt vibes of 2025, it’s news when any law firm stands up to fight the oppressive policies of the Trump administration. But it’s especially eye popping that Milbank is standing up to Trump — and not making its usual big bucks in the process.
See, Milbank is one of the nine Biglaw firms that courted infamy by capitulating to the threats of Donald Trump and agreeing to provide hundred of millions in pro bono payola to conservative clients and causes. These deals have garnered a lot of criticism from around the industry. since the Executive Orders that were threatened were unconstitutional power grabs and many wondered, if a firm won’t stand up to the bullying of the Trump administration for themselves, how will they do it for clients?
So, after showing their belly to Trump, it is noteworthy Milbank is using their lawyerly skill to work against Trump — particularly on immigration, which has been a real sticking point for the administration. And it isn’t the first time — Katyal is also working on the fight against the president’s so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs.
It’s clear that many firms that inked deals with Trump are merely trying to ride it out and are low key hoping that pro bono bill never comes due. But Milbank’s schizophrenic strategy of sucking up to Trump on one hand then railing against key Trumpian initiatives on the other is unique, and it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].
