Brad Karp, the managing partner of the elite New York law firm, sent an email to its lawyers defending a highly criticized arrangement reached with the Trump administration last week.

The capitulation by one of the top U.S. firms reflects deep worries that being threatened by the president could lead to financial ruin.

Powerful Wall Street law firm Paul Weiss faced heavy criticism on Friday over a deal it struck with the White House to escape an executive order imperiling its business, even as some lawyers said the firm faced few other options.