Targeting of law firms and lawyers under the second Trump administration

The targeting of law firms and lawyers under the second Trump Administration refers to unprecedented actions targeting political opponents starting in February 2025 that the second administration of U.S. President Donald Trump took mainly against those American law firms and lawyers that had previously represented positions adverse to Trump. The Trump administration made efforts to influence practices by law firms, such as directing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to send letters to 20 law firms demanding information about each firm's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) employment practices. Law firms and lawyers have responded in a variety of ways to these actions, with some firms and attorneys that were specific targets suing the Trump administration in response, resulting in six separate lawsuits against the administration. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison (Paul Weiss) is the sole law firm targeted by an executive order that did not sue the administration and instead made a deal with the administration to avoid sanctions and restore access.

In addition to Paul Weiss, eight other firms made preemptive deals with Trump to avoid being similarly targeted by executive orders. As part of the settlements, the nine law firms have agreed to provide a total of $940 million in ''pro bono'' work to efforts supported by the president and the firms. Trump later issued an executive order stating that the attorney general should create a mechanism to provide ''pro bono'' services to law enforcement officers who unjustly incur expenses defending their actions. Some have asserted that Trump intends to have the firms that settled provide such legal work. The administration also threatened to bring attorneys before disciplinary proceedings in an executive order, while individuals close to the administration simultaneously campaigned to become officials of the District of Columbia Bar, who would then oversee those proceedings for many of the attorneys. Legal experts have stated that this effort of targeting of lawyers and law firms for the clients they represent could intimidate lawyers from representing certain clients in the future.

''Above the Law'' published a "Biglaw Spine Index: Response to EOs targeting Biglaw" chart on April 4. Provided by Wikipedia