Senior executives from top law firms are rallying to support Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, organizing high-dollar fundraisers in key cities. Sullivan & Cromwell’s senior chairman, Rodge Cohen, was among those hosting a New York luncheon featuring Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, with ticket prices reaching $100,000 per attendee, according to Bloomberg Law. Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., a reception led by Jenner & Block partner Josh Hsu saw tickets priced as high as $7,000 each.
These efforts underscore the legal community’s robust financial backing for Harris, a former attorney herself. This is not the first instance of such support; during Harris’s initial presidential bid, lawyers contributed over $3 million to her campaign. Mayer Brown partner Phil Recht noted the continued enthusiasm and optimism could lead to substantial financial contributions.
Supporting entities include a mix of high-profile law firms and influential attorneys. The host committee for the New York event includes Sullivan & Cromwell’s Melissa Prober and Christopher Mann, while the Washington D.C. event features Skadden’s Nina Rose and OpenAI’s Johanna Shelton. The comprehensive commitment from these legal heavyweights highlights a strategic alignment with Harris’s political ambitions.
Additional fundraising activities are being organized by prominent figures in the legal community, including Paul Weiss chairman Brad Karp and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates. Andrew Byrnes, a known bundler, reported a significant uptick in fundraising for Harris, with contributions largely coming from legal professionals.
Events have ranged from intimate gatherings to large virtual meetings, such as the August 12 Zoom event hosted by WilmerHale partners, featuring North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, where ticket prices started at $1,000 and went up to $25,000. The large scale of involvement and financial commitment from Big Law underpins the deep-seated support for Harris’s presidential aspirations within the legal sector.