Overview

• Federal judges in Washington unanimously ruled that each of Trump’s executive orders violated the First Amendment and due process by penalizing lawyers for representing critics.
• On June 30, the Justice Department filed a notice of appeal to the D.C. Circuit, targeting U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell’s May 2 decision against Perkins Coie.
• The department has not appealed similar injunctions against WilmerHale, Jenner & Block and Susman Godfrey, leaving those orders permanently blocked.
• Nine firms avoided direct challenges by settling with the White House, pledging nearly $1 billion in pro bono services and altering diversity initiatives.
• Experts say the dispute could redefine the scope of presidential authority and the independence of the legal profession if it reaches the Supreme Court.