Overview

• On May 27, 2025, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon struck down President Trump’s March executive order against WilmerHale, ruling it violated constitutional protections for free speech and due process.
• Earlier this month, federal judges had overturned similar orders against Perkins Coie and Jenner & Block, marking three judicial rebukes of Trump’s efforts to sanction law firms.
• The executive orders sought to suspend security clearances, bar attorneys from federal buildings and strip government contracts from firms perceived as adversaries, including those that employed or represented former special counsel Robert Mueller.
• Several major firms avoided litigation by agreeing to provide nearly $1 billion in pro bono legal services to the administration, a move that has prompted departures of top partners and criticism over a chilling effect on legal advocacy.
• The Justice Department has defended the orders as lawful exercises of presidential authority but may face appeals in the D.C. Circuit as the challenge against Susman Godfrey remains unresolved.