Trump Administration Drops Defense of Sanctions on Major Law Firms, Courts Win Big
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has abruptly abandoned its attempt to enforce punitive executive orders against top U.S. law firms after judges repeatedly ruled those orders unconstitutional. According to Reuters, the Justice Department filed paperwork on Monday asking a federal appeals court to dismiss its appeals in four separate cases involving Perkins Coie, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr (WilmerHale), Jenner & Block and Susman Godfrey.
Legal warfare between the White House and firms in Big Law dominated Washington last year, after President Donald Trump issued orders that would have stripped firms of security clearances, blocked access to federal buildings and jeopardized contracts because of past legal work or employment decisions. Four federal judges — appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents — blocked the moves, finding they violated the First, Fifth and Sixth Amendments.
But the sudden withdrawal ends the government’s defense of those orders, cementing the rulings and underscoring a rare courtroom defeat for the White House. It also highlights internal cracks within the legal industry — nine other firms, including Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps, negotiated deals with the administration last year to avoid sanctions, sparking blowback over independence concerns.
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“The Trump administration finally admits what everyone knew on Day 1: There is no way to defend these unconstitutional executive orders,” said an ACLU spokesperson, pointing to the constitutional protections affirmed by the courts.
The retreat matters because it reinforces the judiciary’s role as a check on presidential power, particularly when executive actions risk chilling legal advocacy or impeding clients’ rights to counsel of choice. Without active defense from the Justice Department, the orders can never take effect, and courts have set a high bar for similar attempts in the future.
In coming weeks, analysts expect renewed scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers and legal advocacy groups, and questions about how other firms that struck deals with the White House might be affected. Litigation tied to the broader campaign against perceived political opposition — including other executive actions by the administration — may end up before courts as well.
For now, however, the legal campaign that once loomed as a threat to Big Law has collapsed in court.
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