Several large law firms have found themselves in President Donald Trump’s crosshairs since his return to the White House in January.
Newsweek reached out to each of these firms for comment via email.
Why It Matters
On Friday, Trump is facing two new legal challenges from Jenner & Block and WilmerHale over executive orders aimed at suspending the security clearances of their attorneys and prohibiting their employees from accessing federal buildings. He has issued orders against several major law firms that have previously been critical of his actions.
What To Know
Jenner & Block and WilmerHale filed separate complaints in federal court asking judges to block these orders on Friday, raising concerns that they are an unconstitutional attempt to punish them for their past advocacy.
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He previously targeted two other law firms, Perkins Coie and Paul Weiss with similar orders.
Here is an overview of each of these cases:
Jenner & Block
Jenner & Block, a law firm with offices across the United States that has faced scrutiny from the Trump administration for hiring Andrew Weissmann, a lawyer who served on special counsel Robert Mueller’s team that probed Trump during his first term.
Mueller investigated alleged Russian influence on the 2016 presidential election. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has described the case as politically motivated.
“Andrew Weissmann’s career has been rooted in weaponized government and abuse of power, including devastating tens of thousands of American families who worked for the now defunct Arthur Andersen LLP, only to have his unlawfully aggressive prosecution overturned by the Supreme Court,” Trump wrote in his executive order.
The firm slammed the order as an “an unconstitutional abuse of power against lawyers, their clients, and the legal system.”
“It is intended to hamper the ability of individuals and businesses to have the lawyers of their choice zealously represent them,” the firm wrote in their lawsuit against the president. “And it is intended to coerce law firms and lawyers into renouncing the Administration’s critics and ceasing certain representations adverse to the government.”
WilmerHale
The order against WilmerHale accused the firm of engaging in “obvious partisan representations to achieve political ends,” efforts to discriminate based on race and its alleged stance on immigration policies. It also raised concerns about its hiring of Mueller and some of his aides.
Mueller, like Wiessmann, rejoined the firm in 2021 after the investigation, but he has since retired.
“While most litigation requires discovery to unearth retaliatory motive, the Order makes no secret of its intent to punish WilmerHale for its past and current representations of clients before the Nation’s courts and for its perceived connection to the views that Mr. Mueller expressed as Special Counsel,” the firm’s case says, according to The Associated Press.
Perkins Coie
Trump’s executive order against Perkins Coie was released earlier this year, and court proceedings are ongoing. Judge Beryll Howell has blocked the administration from enforcing the order, and Trump’s attorneys are trying to have her removed from the case.
Similar to other cases, Trump raised concerns about its ties to investigations into his alleged ties to Russia in his executive order. Perkins Coie has said it’s suffering financial fallout from the order after clients with government contracts ended their legal arrangements with the firm.
“This executive order takes a wrecking ball to the rule of law, to the principles that promote democracy, Dane Butswinkas, an attorney representing Perkins Coie, previously said of the case.
Paul, Weiss
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP a firm with more than 2,000 attorneys, earlier in March capitulated to Trump, agreeing too give $40 million in free legal aid to charities he supports and end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs to continue winning government contracts.
He has since lifted the ban on the firm receiving federal contracts.
Trump’s case against the firm pointed to its employment of Mark Pomerantz, who was previously involved in parts of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into hush money payments allegedly made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. Trump was found guilty in the case last year but is appealing the ruling. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and said the case was politically motivated.
Skadden
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom reached a deal with Trump on Friday to dedicate $100 million in free legal service and review its hiring practices to avert an executive order like other firms have faced, the Associated Press reported.
Skadden Arps managing partner Jeremy London told the firm that the administration planned to target it over pro bono legal work and DEI initiatives.
“When faced with this information, we carefully considered what the right path would be for us, and the answer was not obvious. We were thoughtful and deliberate in determining the steps we might take, knowing that the decisions we were grappling with would have fundamental consequences for our firm,” he said in a message reported by the AP.
What People Are Saying
White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields told Newsweek on Friday: “Democrats and their law firms weaponized the legal process to try to punish and jail their political opponents. The President’s executive orders are lawful directives to ensure that the President’s agenda is implemented and that law firms comply with the law.”
Former federal prosecutor Joyce White Vance said in a Substack post on Friday: “Expect more from the law firms. The increasing swiftness of the responses show that they now anticipate and understand that they are under attack from a previously unthinkable place, the White House. The Wilmer Hale firm filed their lawsuit less than a full day after Trump took action against them. These firms are prepared to fight it out in the one place where Trump can be forced to listen: The courts.”
What Happens Next
These legal cases are set to continue in the coming weeks and months.
Update 3/28/25, 5:16 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
