President takes dark turn as he tries to punish lawyers who dare to work for rivals
President Donald Trump has escalated his campaign against legal firms associated with his political rivals, signing an executive order that severely restricts the operations of Perkins Coie. The order, signed on March 6, revokes security clearances for its employees, cancels government contracts with the firm, and limits its lawyers' access to federal buildings and officials. The move follows a similar order targeting Covington & Burling, which had provided legal services for Special Counsel Jack Smith.
While the previous action against Covington & Burling sought to strip security clearances and contracts, the Perkins Coie order extends beyond that, preventing its lawyers from accessing federal agencies and limiting their ability to work in government roles. Legal experts warn that this could set a precedent discouraging law firms from representing political adversaries, raising concerns over fairness in the legal profession.
Trump’s animosity toward Perkins Coie dates back to 2016 when two of its former attorneys, Marc Elias and Michael Sussmann, were linked to the FBI investigation into potential connections between Trump’s campaign and Russia. Although both attorneys have long since departed from the firm, the executive order denounces Perkins Coie’s role in the compilation of a dossier containing unverified allegations against Trump. The order accuses the firm of "undermining democratic elections, the integrity of our courts, and honest law enforcement."
The executive order instructs federal agencies to suspend any security clearances held by Perkins Coie attorneys and to immediately terminate any existing government contracts with the firm. Additionally, the order instructs the heads of all federal agencies to limit the firm’s access to federal buildings when deemed a threat to national security. It also urges agencies to curtail interactions with Perkins Coie employees and seeks to block them from future federal employment opportunities.
“This is an absolute honor to sign,” Trump stated at the White House. “What they’ve done is just terrible. It’s weaponization, you could say weaponization against a political opponent, and it should never be allowed to happen again.”
In addition to revoking security access, Trump’s order takes direct aim at Perkins Coie’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The order accuses the firm of discriminatory hiring practices and calls for a broad federal review of large law firms to assess whether they reserve positions based on race or other DEI criteria that the administration opposes.
“The review will determine whether large law firms reserve positions, such as summer associate spots, for individuals of preferred races; promote individuals on a discriminatory basis; permit client access on a discriminatory basis; or provide access to events, trainings, or travel on a discriminatory basis,” the order states.
This effort aligns with Trump’s broader push to dismantle DEI initiatives across various industries, a stance that has already led corporations such as KPMG US to remove DEI-related content from their websites and prompted Deloitte US to modify internal policies.
Perkins Coie swiftly responded to the executive order, calling it "patently unlawful" and vowing to challenge it in court. The firm is expected to seek a temporary restraining order against the administration while litigation proceeds.
Legal experts warn that the order represents a dangerous escalation in the targeting of law firms. Earlier this week, the president of the American Bar Association, William R. Bay, issued a statement condemning such actions, saying, “Lawyers must be free to represent clients and perform their ethical duty without fear of retribution. We reject the notion that the government can punish lawyers who represent certain clients or punish judges who rule certain ways.”
Trump has a history of legal battles with Perkins Coie. In 2022, he filed a lawsuit against the firm, Hillary Clinton, and others, alleging a conspiracy to derail his presidential campaign. That lawsuit was quickly dismissed by a judge for lacking merit.
The legal fight over Trump’s executive order is expected to intensify in the coming weeks. Perkins Coie will likely argue that the order violates constitutional protections, setting up a high-profile courtroom showdown. Meanwhile, concerns persist over the chilling effect this move could have on legal professionals, potentially discouraging firms from representing high-profile political figures in the future.
As Trump continues his campaign against legal adversaries, his administration's approach raises questions about the balance of power between the executive branch and the legal profession. Whether the courts will intervene to check these actions remains to be seen.
