Legal Firms Stand Up to Trump's Executive Orders

In a notable move, Freshfields US became the sole top 20 law firm to back a legal challenge against Donald Trump's executive order. This order aimed to bar Perkins Coie from federal government business and properties. The legal brief, filed in a Washington DC federal court, gathered over 500 firms. However, most of these were small to medium-sized, with a focus on litigation. Large corporate law firms, which often handle major transactions, stayed away, likely fearing retaliation from the Trump administration. Perkins Coie had already secured a restraining order to block Trump's action temporarily. The brief aims to make this order permanent. The legal document argues that the executive order is unconstitutional. It warns that challenging the administration's actions now comes with significant risks. This climate of fear, the brief suggests, threatens the rule of law. The legal brief was prepared by Munger, Tolles & Olson, a prominent Los Angeles boutique. Initially, they struggled to get large firms to support Perkins Coie publicly. As of last weekend, only three of the top 100 US law firms by revenue had shown "unconditional support. " Freshfields, a UK-based firm with a growing US corporate practice, was the only top 20 firm to join. Fenwick and West, a Silicon Valley-based firm, also signed the brief. This firm counts many large technology companies as clients. Several other firms, including WilmerHale, Covington & Burling, and Jenner & Block, also supported the brief. These firms have faced their own executive orders and have won restraining orders against the Trump administration. Meanwhile, some major Wall Street firms chose a different path. Paul Weiss, Skadden, Willkie Farr and Gallagher, and Milbank settled with existing or anticipated executive orders. They collectively pledged over 300 million dollars in legal services to causes supported by the Trump administration. This move has sparked criticism from junior associates and alumni, who see it as a short-sighted surrender. Beth Wilkinson, a former star litigator at Paul Weiss, signed the Perkins brief. She emphasized that her firm has always stood up for rights and against government overreach. This stance, she noted, remains unchanged.