The Trump II reign has been characterized by repeated attacks on the rule of law and blatant power grabs. And Biglaw has proven… it is not up to the task. When directly confronted with unconstitutional Executive Orders targeting firms on Trump’s list for retribution, more than twice as many major law firms were willing to promise the president nearly a billion dollars in pro bono payola for conservative causes or clients as were willing to fight the EOs in court. Not a great look for the supposed best in the legal industry.
But, that doesn’t mean we’re completely screwed as a society. Small law and boutiques have stepped up, and these small but mighty firms are poised to take on some of the biggest cases. And that includes the Washington Litigation Group, a nonprofit firm created earlier this year. As Nathaniel Zelinsky, senior counsel at the Washington Litigation Group, said, “Every day, we have incoming requests of people who need representation, and we can take on some, and we try to identify the ones that fit within our core mission…but there is an extraordinary need right now for qualified representation and to make sure that we’re putting forward the best representation in the most important cases.”
“We take on cases that are sort of core to the rule of law. So we defend individuals, institutions who are under attack, and we combat government overreach, but we are at our core lawyers,” said Zelinsky. “Our pedigree is really people from [the] government and people in private practice.”
Pursuing The Pro Bono Story: A Conversation With Alicia Aiken
This Pro Bono Week, get inspired to give back with PLI’s Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files, a one-of-a-kind podcast hosted by Alicia Aiken.
The firm was created by a mix a Biglaw partners, former judges, and government attorneys. The firm’s website touts the unique pedigree of its attorneys:
- A former Acting Attorney General of the United States, and two former Deputy Assistant Attorneys General.
- Multiple former Assistant United States Attorneys.
- Defense attorneys who have represented clients from Watergate onward.
- Multiple former law firm partners, including the head of a national white-collar defense practice, the head of a prominent Supreme Court and Appellate Practice, and the head of a national law firm’s D.C. office.
- Former judges who served on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Superior Court.
- Lawyers who have argued at every level of the federal judiciary, including before the Supreme Court.
And the firm is growing. It recently added Kyle Freeny, a Greenberg Traurig partner who previously worked on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team — and prosecuted Paul Manafort in that role. Her experience jives well with the high-profile cases its taking on, as reported by Law.com:
The firm has already taken on several high-profile cases, including representing former Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris, who was fired by Trump earlier this year, serving as co-counsel with Milbank. The firm also represents three members of the Federal Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico that were fired by Trump, along with Cooley and Democracy Defenders Fund as co-counsel.
Stand With Survivors: Legal Tools To Make A Real Difference This DVAM
Enhance your legal skills to advocate for survivors of intimate partner violence.
Zelinsky notes the firm will continue its growth in the “near-term future.” Which checks out — there’s certainly not a lack of work fighting the Trump administration.
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].