In a major legal rebuke, a fourth federal judge has struck down a Trump executive order targeting the elite law firm Susman Godfrey. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, deemed the order “unconstitutional from beginning to end,” echoing prior decisions that permanently blocked similar actions against Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, and WilmerHale.
Trump’s executive orders aimed to punish law firms that represented clients or causes he opposed, revoking security clearances, terminating contracts, and restricting access to government buildings. Judges from both parties found these actions to violate constitutional rights and undermine the independence of the legal profession.
While some firms have resisted and won in court, others struck deals with the Trump administration under pressure—raising concerns about coercion and the future integrity of the legal profession.