She Walked Away from Big Law—But She’s Not Done Fighting Trump
Rachel A. Cohen, a 30-year-old Harvard Law grad, just made a bold exit from one of the biggest law firms in the country and she’s not backing down from her fight against Trump.
Cohen quit her job at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP after 2.5 years, making a very public statement about the legal industry’s response to Trump’s influence. And if her recent TikToks and Reddit activity are anything to go by, she’s nowhere near done speaking out.
In a TikTok over the weekend, Cohen warned that if Big Law firms cave to Trump’s demands, things could escalate quickly especially in immigration law. She specifically called out Paul Weiss, another major law firm, for striking a deal with Trump, saying it was a “capitulation.”
On Reddit, an account that appears to belong to Cohen has been buzzing with responses about why she joined Big Law in the first place, why she left, and what fuels her activism. In one post, she shared that her passion for politics started when she was just seven years old, volunteering for a city council candidate thanks to a social studies project. “I have been a vaguely unhinged Political Advocate ever since,” she joked.
Cohen officially announced her resignation on LinkedIn last Thursday, saying Skadden didn’t take a strong enough stand against Trump’s legal threats. She also sent an email to the entire firm urging action and helped circulate an open letter condemning what she sees as inaction from major law firms.
Trump’s Crackdown on Law Firms
Trump has been putting pressure on firms he sees as opposing him, revoking their security clearances and threatening government contracts.
Earlier this month, he pulled security clearances from employees at Paul Weiss, accusing the firm of weaponizing the legal system against him. A week later, he reversed the order after the firm reached an agreement—one that Trump claimed removed DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies from hiring. However, an internal Paul Weiss email simply stated they would review employment practices and remain committed to merit-based hiring. Trump also said the firm agreed to provide $40 million in free legal services supporting his administration’s initiatives.
On Friday, Trump ordered the Justice Department to keep tabs on law firms filing what he called “frivolous” lawsuits against his administration, singling out immigration lawyers.
Cohen’s resignation letter pointed to these moves as clear intimidation tactics, saying Trump wants to send a message: “Firms that represent those who oppose the administration’s agenda will be punished.”
A Long History of Activism
Even before she made headlines last week, Cohen had been deeply involved in political activism.
She graduated from Ohio State University in 2014 with a degree in political science and communication before working with the Boys and Girls Club and teaching English literature in Rhode Island.
During Trump’s first term, she volunteered with Planned Parenthood, worked with the Rhode Island Democratic Party and the National Organization for Women, and was photographed with politicians like Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden.
At Harvard Law, she took on leadership roles in organizations like the Harvard Immigration Project and the Journal of Law & Gender. She also worked with the Prison Legal Assistance Project and the Women’s Law Association, gaining experience in immigration law along the way.
In 2022, she joined Skadden as a finance associate while maintaining an active pro bono practice focused on immigration and housing law. But after the Paul Weiss deal and Trump’s growing legal maneuvers, she decided she couldn’t stay any longer.
She’s Not Going Back to Big Law
According to posts on the Reddit account linked to Cohen, she has no plans to return to Big Law. She revealed that Skadden locked her out of her email when she sent her resignation but is still paying out her vacation days.
She also admitted that she had been planning to leave Skadden eventually but felt the need to speed up her timeline because of Trump’s escalating attacks on the legal system.
While acknowledging that not everyone can make the same decision she did, Cohen made it clear that she was in a position to take this step thanks to her credentials, support system, and financial safety net. “Other people will make sacrifices that are tenable to them,” she wrote.
For now, it looks like Cohen is sticking to her fight, even if it means taking a different path outside of Big Law.
