This piece examines how large U.S. law firms have responded to political pressure from the Trump administration, especially efforts to punish firms representing government critics. While some firms settled or retreated from controversial litigation, others have recently stepped up to defend civil rights, sanctuary cities, academic institutions, and government accountability.
The author is skeptical that symbolic commitments to professional “principles” are enough. Instead, he argues that the deeper threat to the rule of law comes from government lawyers who enable legally dubious or unconstitutional actions from within the state. The real ethical crisis, he suggests, lies less with private law firms and more with public officials willing to blur the line between legal authority and raw political power.