Overview

• Senator Bernie Sanders called law firms' settlements with the Trump administration 'absolute cowardice' in a recent interview.
• Trump's executive orders targeted law firms representing political opponents, threatening security clearances and federal contracts.
• Milbank LLP recently agreed to a $100 million pro bono deal with the Trump administration, drawing criticism from Sanders and others.
• Some firms, including Perkins Coie and WilmerHale, have resisted the orders and secured court injunctions against them.
• Critics warn that these settlements undermine legal independence and democratic norms, with Sanders describing the U.S. as a 'pseudo-democracy.'