Fresh off his victory getting Paul Weiss to kiss his ring, Donald Trump came in hot this weekend with yet ANOTHER executive order targeting the legal profession. This one, titled, Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court, threatens attorneys who oppose the federal government in court with Rule 11 sanctions. Real despicable — and chilling — stuff.
At least one major law firm is willing to call out the authoritarianism creep. John Keker, Robert Van Nest, Elliot Peters, Laurie Carr Mims, and the rest of the Keker, Van Nest & Peters Partnership issued the below statement.
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“Trump’s new Executive Order underscores how far removed this President, Attorney General and Administration are from our nation’s Constitution and bedrock values. Our liberties depend on lawyers’ willingness to represent unpopular people and causes, including in matters adverse to the Federal Government. An attack on lawyers who perform this work is inexcusable and despicable. Our profession owes every client zealous legal representation without fear of retribution, regardless of their political affiliation or ability to pay. We encourage law firm leaders to sign on to an amicus effort in support of Perkins Coie’s challenge to the Administration’s executive order targeting the firm, and to resist the Administration’s erosion of the rule of law.”
Good for them! The San Francisco-based litigation boutique with 140 lawyers does more than just talk the talk. In the first Trump administration, the firm had multiple successful cases against the government. Despite the more vengeful executive branch in the Trump II reign, the firm hasn’t stopped this work — they’re challenging the legality of ICE raids in UFW et al., v. Kristi Noem, et al..
Let’s see if other elite firms will take a similar stand.
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Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].