Particle.news
Download on the App Store
11 ARTICLES
·
3d ago

Judge Permanently Blocks Trump's Executive Order Targeting Perkins Coie

The ruling underscores constitutional violations and raises concerns about legal independence as firms grapple with compliance deals and internal dissent.

Attorney Marc Elias stands on the plaza of the Supreme Court in Washington, March 21, 2016.
Associates at some major law firms are quitting their high-paying jobs in response to their deals with the Trump administration.
Rachel Cohen, a third-year law associate, resigned over a deal she says her high-powered law firm Skadden Law reached with the Trump administration for $100 million of free legal work supporting the president's agenda.

Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that President Trump's executive order targeting Perkins Coie was unconstitutional retaliation, permanently blocking its enforcement.
  • The executive order had revoked security clearances, limited federal building access, and terminated government contracts for Perkins Coie lawyers, citing their representation of political opponents like Hillary Clinton.
  • Howell's decision highlighted Trump's public boasting about compliance deals with other firms as evidence of punitive intent, further solidifying the case against the administration.
  • Nine law firms, including Skadden Arps, pledged $940 million in pro bono work to avoid sanctions, sparking internal resignations, alumni protests, and client reevaluations of firm independence.
  • Legal commentators warn that these actions set a dangerous precedent, threatening the independence of the legal profession and the adversarial system in U.S. courts.