Trump administration to drop defense of law firm sanctions

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Mon Mar 2, 2026, 03:48 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: msn/WSJ

23m


The Trump administration plans to abandon its defense of the president’s executive orders sanctioning several law firms, according to people familiar with the matter. The Justice Department as soon as Monday is expected to drop its appeals of four trial-court rulings that struck down President Trump’s actions against law firms Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, and Susman Godfrey.

Trump issued a string of executive orders last year against several law firms and individual lawyers that would have stripped security clearances, restricted their access to federal buildings and directed agencies to end any federal contracts with the firms and their clients.

The White House campaign sent a chill through the industry. Fear of the orders also prompted other large firms to make deals with the president, promising nearly $1 billion in pro bono work for causes favored by the administration. In targeting the firms, Trump cited their connections to his political rivals and criticized their diversity initiatives and pro bono work advocating for immigrants, transgender rights and voting protections.

Several firms sued to challenge the orders, arguing they were unconstitutional retaliation and an abuse of executive power. The firms said the orders would be devastating to their business and that they risked losing lucrative clients that work with the federal government.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-administration-to-drop-defense-of-law-firm-sanctions/ar-AA1XnIr6

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Just breaking.

REFERENCES

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143411948
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143415897
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143416421
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143425601
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143427595
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143428308
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143431288
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143433898
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143437841
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143438177
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143438918
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143441042
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143441319
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143446388
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143449300
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143450334
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143452127
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143455930
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143456461
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143465117
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143469816
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143475805
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143487138
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143487657
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143488782

[Skittles]

1. anyone bending at the knee for this fascist fuck needs to go out of business

yes INDEED

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Gathering as many "references" that I can find right now to add to the OP!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. Trump DOJ gives up on order punishing law firms: report

These orders/agreements were not enforceable. I was happy that a Houston law firm (Susman Godfrey) was one of the law firms who contested these orders. Now Skadden, Paul Weiss and others need to repudiate their "agreements" with trump.

Trump DOJ gives up on order punishing law firms: report

— NewPostNews (@dumb-founded.bsky.social) 2026-03-02T20:01:49.083Z

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-law-firms-2675538373/

In a seismic admission of defeat, the Trump administration's Justice Department is abandoning its legal defense of an executive order that would have punished law firms that had represented clients against his prior policies or legal woes.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the DOJ is expected to "drop its appeals of four trial-court rulings that struck down President Trump’s actions against law firms Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, and Susman Godfrey."

Trump's orders had blocked these law firms from doing business with the federal government or from obtaining security clearances. Experts widely criticized it as undermining the centuries-old principle that everyone has a right to legal counsel and that lawyers should not be punished solely for disagreements with their clients.

Several other law firms cut deals with the Trump administration to avoid similar orders punishing them, which included commitments to provide pro bono aid to various causes Trump agrees with and eliminate diversity policies in their offices.

After cutting those deals, however, many of those law firms realized the terms of the agreements were either unenforceable or not what they had believed they were agreeing to, and quietly abandoned them.

[Skittles]

4. WHO would want to do business with those who immediately caved to Trump?

seriously

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Apparently those who caved not only lost business

but lost lawyers who either joined others who didn't cave or created new firms!

[Skittles]

6. can you imagine how humiliating it would be for any true patriot

working for someone who caves so easily to a fascist?

[BumRushDaShow]

7. They can join the ranks of the infamous

Alina Habba, Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell, and many others!

[vanlassie]

9. Or "Not what they believed they were agreeing to?"

Did they run it by their lawyer?

[Miguelito Loveless]

8. So, I wonder how the firms

that bowed to extortion from the Child Rapist in Chief feel about this?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

10. MaddowBlog-Justice Department to throw in the towel on Trump's campaign against law firms

Those looking for evidence to bolster the “when you fight, you win” thesis need look no further than these developments.

The law firms that fought back against Trump’s unprecedented offensive prevailed — the DOJ is now dropping its appeals — while the firms that tried appeasement have struggled.

Seems like firms from the latter group should join the firms in the former?
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-03-02T21:40:18.972Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/justice-department-to-throw-in-the-towel-on-trumps-campaign-against-law-firms

As The New York Times noted in May after one of the firms’ court victories, “The ruling seemed to validate the strategy, embraced by a minority of firms, of fighting the administration instead of caving to a pressure campaign and making deals with Mr. Trump to avoid persecution.”

Now, the strategy appears even smarter: My MS NOW colleagues Lisa Rubin and Jesse Rodriguez reported that the Trump administration has signaled its intention to withdraw its appeal of the earlier losses. Soon after, The Wall Street Journal similarly reported:

The Trump administration plans to abandon its defense of the president’s executive orders sanctioning several law firms, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Justice Department as soon as Monday is expected to drop its appeals of four trial-court rulings that struck down President Trump’s actions against law firms Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, and Susman Godfrey.

For the four firms that already fought and won against the White House, the Justice Department’s apparent decision to throw in the towel leaves little doubt that they pursued the right and effective course. These firms saw unjust bullying; they saw other firms capitulate; they decided instead to stand their ground; and they’re in the process of winning the overall fight.

Those looking for evidence to bolster the “when you fight, you win” thesis need look no further than these developments.

As for the firms that decided instead to try to appease Trump, the consequences have been quite dramatic. Legal giants such as Paul Weiss, for example, which was the first firm to negotiate a deal with Team Trump, has lost a variety of partners over its strategy, as well as notable clients. Other firms that caved to the Republican administration have faced related challenges......

I keep waiting for at least one of the firms that went along with the White House to declare, “Upon further reflection, we’ve decided to fight back against the White House offensive and abandon the earlier deal that was reached under unjust circumstances. The president asked too much while threatening too much, and we’ve decided to take our chances.”

As things stand, if one these firms were to take such a step, they’d not just be better off within the industry — they’d also proceed with the confidence that they’d prevail over the administration, just as Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, Perkins Coie and Susman Godfrey already have. Watch this space.

I saw that Paul Weiss just opened a Houston office and stole a partner from Kirkland. I would love to see Skadden, Paul Weiss and Kirkland throw away these agreements.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. Those who bent the knee weren't exactly advertising their skill in the law, were they?

It was pretty much admitting "we can't defeat a bunch of losers in court". Not a good look for their willpower or legal acumen.

Good for those who took the fucker to court and won.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. Kirkland & Ellis is facing new questions about its deal with President Donald Trump, including the part that Trump advis

Kirkland & Ellis is facing new questions about its deal with President Donald Trump, including the part that Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn played in landing the agreement.

Link to tweet

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/kirkland-pressed-by-democrats-on-epshteyns-role-in-trump-deal

Kirkland & Ellis is facing new questions about its deal with President Donald Trump, including the part that Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn played in landing the agreement.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Monday sent a letter to the law firm, requesting the information. They said Kirkland previously admitted to providing free legal services to federal agencies under the terms of its April deal with Trump, which reportedly involved Epshteyn, but declined to provide any details.

“Kirkland concedes providing free legal work directly after being threatened by the Trump Administration with a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigation and the prospect of financial- and access-related penalties that were previously imposed on other law firms,” the lawmakers wrote.....

The trio asked the firm turn over “all records related to your agreement with the Trump administration” as well as “all communications, meeting records, or documents relating to any negotiations with Mr. Epshteyn.”,....

“The involvement of Mr. Boris Epshteyn, a former Trump Administration official, legal fixer, and a Trump co-conspirator to overturn the 2020 presidential election, raises yet further concerns about this arrangement,” the lawmakers wrote. “Epshteyn has been dogged by reports that he solicited illegal pay-to-play schemes in exchange for securing political appointments in the Trump Administration.”

Kirkland is one of the largest firms in the nation and their Houston office has some major league assholes (though one of these assholes just jumped to Paul Weiss). I am glad to see that the law firms who cut deals with trump are being challenged and questioned on those deals