More than 500 law firms moved to file an amicus brief on Friday in support of Perkins Coie’s lawsuit against the Trump administration’s executive order that targeted the firm over its representation of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign.
“The Executive Order at issue in this case, and the others like it, take direct aim at several of the Nation’s leading law firms and seek to cow every other firm, large and small, into submission,” the amicus brief says.
Signage is seen outside of the law firm Perkins Coie at their legal offices in Washington, D.C., May 10, 2021.
Andrew Kelly/Reuters
“The looming threat posed by the Executive Order at issue in this case and the others like it is not lost on anyone practicing law in this country today: any controversial representation challenging actions of the current administration (or even causes it disfavors) now brings with it the risk of devastating retaliation,” the firms said in the brief.
“Whatever short-term advantage an administration may gain from exercising power in this way, the rule of law cannot long endure in the climate of fear that such actions create,” they added.
The list of firms has been circulated for several weeks among top law firms throughout the country as they weighed whether to go public in support of Perkins Coie — or stay silent over fears they could be targeted next.
Five firms, Milbank, Paul Weiss, Skadden Arps, Willkie Farr and Gallagher and Sullivan and Cromwell, have thus far opted to cut deals with the White House to avoid being similarly targeted, as the White House announced.
Two law firms, WilmerHale and Jenner and Block, joined Perkins Coie in filing suit against the administration and secured emergency orders from federal judges temporarily barring the enforcement of the executive orders on the grounds that they were likely unconstitutional.
While multiple “Big Law” firms added their names to the list submitted Friday, perhaps most notable are the names who didn’t sign on.
Kirkland and Ellis, the largest U.S. law firm by revenue, is not on the list, though the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday it is in talks with the White House to avoid being targeted. Neither is Latham and Watkins, the second largest firm by revenue, or any of the other top 10 firms by revenue rankings.
