On April 8, 2025, the New York City Bar Association and more than a dozen other bar associations filed an amicus brief supporting Perkins Coie LLP in its legal challenge to Executive Order No. 14230 issued by President Trump. The EO restricts law firms like Perkins Coie from representing clients who do business with the federal government—an action the brief calls “blatantly illegal” and a direct threat to the rule of law.
The brief warns that the order undermines lawyers’ independence, weakens the adversarial system, and represents an authoritarian move to co-opt the legal profession. It argues that coercing lawyers to prioritize presidential loyalty over client advocacy erodes democratic checks and balances. The coalition urges the court to strike down the order, emphasizing that a free and independent legal profession is essential to safeguarding constitutional democracy.