There’s Only One Real Way to Reverse Big Law’s Capitulation to Trump
Publisher
Slate
Date
2025-4-17
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump began issuing a series of executive orders targeting law firms, penalizing firms that employ—or previously employed—attorneys who have challenged him in court. The orders are plainly retaliatory and amount to state-imposed punishment for speech on matters of public concern—violating the First Amendment’s protections for free speech and free association. And they’re having their intended effect: People and businesses with possible legal claims against the administration are increasingly unable to find representation, as are pro bono clients the president disfavors. Although several firms have resisted the orders and multiple lawsuits are ongoing, other firms continue to concede.
Citation
Kevin Cope & Rachel Cohen, There’s Only One Real Way to Reverse Big Law’s Capitulation to Trump, Slate (April 17, 2025).