To avoid retribution, big firms agreed to provide free legal services for uncontroversial causes. To the White House, that could mean negotiating trade deals — or even defending the president and his allies.

A judge in Washington on Tuesday blocked most of Donald Trump's executive order targeting law firm Susman Godfrey, dealing the Republican U.S. president a new legal setback in its campaign against firms he disfavors.

Boris Epshteyn, who doesn’t work for the government, has negotiated with a series of law firms to cajole them into entering deals.