Updated Profiles in Courage…

My first presidential election was in 1960, and I voted for John F. Kennedy. Kennedy was handsome, charismatic, literate, and a WWII naval hero. I was a newly commissioned Marine Corps fighter pilot and the world was full of promise.

Five years earlier Kennedy published Profiles in Courage, a book celebrating eight US Senators who had exhibited courage in the face of adversity and opposition. They included John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster, Sam Houston as well as some whose names you wouldn’t recognize today. But Kennedy chose these men (yes, they were all men) from different eras of American history because he admired their integrity and principled action.

1960 was a prosperous, peaceful era in American history. It wasn’t perfect. The country was still sorting out the damage of WWII, playing Cold War chess with Russia, and watching China emerge from its own civil war. Nevertheless, all things considered, there was a balance of power in world geopolitics, and our economy was booming, 

Our 2025 world is dramatically different. The world order that held us in balance for 70 years is now unbalanced and there is a surging tide of autocracy worldwide. Here, in the US, the 47^th president is doing his best to destroy most of what has made America the wealthiest, most powerful and respected nation on the planet—free elections, a two party system, investigative journalism, a free press, arts and humanities, technology, jurisprudence, the military, veterans, immigration, universities, law firms, clean energy, national parks, healthcare, cutting edge medicine, scientific research and science itself. 

It’s notable that there is an abundance of courage in America today, but the hubris, greed and cowardice of those in power has us on our heels. They are doing everything possible to undermine our democracy and strip us of our rights. It’s time to update Profiles in Courage in order to remind ourselves that we are still strong and determined. 

My updated list has twelve other names, but Thomas Sipp, a courageous young attorney you’ve probably never heard of is my #1 candidate, because he recently resigned in protest when the firm he was working for, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, one of America’s most prestigious law firms, took a knee and kissed the king’s ring (offering him $100,000,000 (yes, $100 million) in free legal services to support his causes).

Mr. Sipp is 26 years old, of mixed race, and came to this country without English language skills at age 10. He’s an American success story in the old fashioned sense. He mastered the language, attended the University of Texas and Columbia Law School and became a US Senate intern before carefully weighing the offers he received from several of America’s best law firms. He has always admired Barack Obama’s achievements and identifies with his mixed race story, so after careful consideration Mr. Sipp chose Skadden Arps. It seemed the best fit for him, because its policy allowed charitable pro bono hours to count toward an associate’s compensation package–something many firms wouldn’t consider. He was “all in” and decided to pay a little bit more in rent for a slightly worse apartment so he could be close to the office. Big law means long hours for an associate. He was there early and stayed late, but he loved what he did.

But things changed when the administration listed Skadden Arps as one of 20 firms under investigation for their practices related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. He couldn’t believe it but never imagined the firm would capitulate to the intimidation threat. But…it did, and when it did it caused Mr. Sipp to spend an agonizing weekend crafting a response to the firm’s leadership. That response ended up being his resignation letter – recently featured on The Daily, the NY Times current events podcast.  https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/podcasts/the-daily/trump-law-firms-skadden.html?auth=login-google1tap&login=google1tap When asked about it he said:

Personally, I felt ashamed to work at Skadden, and that was such a new experience because of how prestigious the law firm is. And then, suddenly, in the blink of an eye and just a few days, hours even, like my whole view of the firm has been completely tainted.

Can you explain why? Is it the specifics around pro bono work, which I know is so important to you? But what precisely is making you feel the shame?

It’s a mix of things. This is giving the president a P.R. win after being bullied. So it seems like I’m working at a firm that isn’t as high caliber as it said it was. But more importantly than that, so many lawyers agree that what the president is doing is wrong, trying to punish his enemies and then coerce any law firm who he perceives as an enemy to either himself or to his circle, from being able to represent clients who might be against them. 

I have no doubt that Mr. Sipp will find another place with a top firm, like Perkins Coie, that is resisting the administration’s assault on perceived law firm enemies. Perkins has sued and is supported by 500 other firms unwilling to cave and capitulate. More Profiles in Courage.

Note of Caution: As my friend, Jack Alkire, a former Perkins Coie partner noted, “To date not a single partner in any of AmLaw’s top 200 firms has resigned over the Trump business.” These big earners are held in position by their firm’s “Golden Handcuffs” – the promise of a giant paycheck. For example,  Data from BCG Attorney Search shows the Skadden Arps profits per equity partner in 2009 were $2,160,000, placing them in the 88th percentile. That’s the future Mr. Sipp gave up and the hold major firms have on their equity partners.

Here’s my current updated list of Profiles in Courage (who’s on your list?)

• Jose Andres – World Central Kitchen – feeding the world
• Mark Kelly – US Senator, fighter pilot, astronaut from Arizona
• MacKenzie Bezos – philanthropist focusing on women, poverty and community solutions
• Janet Trafton Mills – Governor of Maine who sued the DOJ over Title IX violations
• Doctors without Borders – working worldwide to provide medical services in war zones
• Melinda French Gates – philanthropist supporting education, health and equity for women
• Liz Cheney and Adam Kinsinger – former US Representatives who told the truth about January 6, 2021
• Volodymyr Zelensky – President of Ukraine resisting Russia’s invasion of his country
• Harvard University – fighting for university independence 
• Nicole Malachowski – first woman to fly with the Thunderbirds air demonstration team (and whose service was recently deleted from the Thunderbird website.)

I’m determined to be positive in the face of this assault on our values, institutions, and the rule of law. I could have turned the tables and submitted a Profiles in Cowardice list instead, but I want to go back to the optimism I felt in 1960 when I cast my vote for JFK. I want Americans rise up and respond to his call for action: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” On this day in 1775, the first shots of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington and Concord. That should be all we need to rise to the occasion. Amen.