University of Wisconsin–Madison

Archive

For law firms that appeased Trump, the consequences go from bad to worse

Law firms that chose to appease Donald Trump during his pressure campaign are facing serious fallout. While four firms resisted and filed lawsuits—winning all their cases—others that struck deals with the Trump administration are now losing clients, partners, and credibility. Major firms like Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Paul Weiss are seeing high-profile departures and …

Trump’s Strategy in Law Firm Cases: Lose, Don’t Appeal, Yet Prevail

A new report by The New York Times reveals that although courts have blocked several of President Trump’s executive orders targeting law firms, the administration may still be achieving its broader goals. Four prominent firms—Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey—fought back and won in court. But nine other firms, facing pressure and …

Seven partners depart law firm Willkie Farr to join Cooley after Trump deal

Seven litigation partners from Willkie Farr & Gallagher, including leaders of its San Francisco office, have left the firm to join Cooley. This follows internal backlash over Willkie’s controversial agreement with the Trump administration, in which the firm pledged $100 million in pro bono work and other concessions to avoid a damaging executive order. Cooley, …

With Trump as ally, El Salvador’s President ramps up crackdown on dissent

In June 2025, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele escalated his crackdown on dissent, arresting prominent constitutional lawyer Enrique Anaya on contested charges of money laundering. Human rights groups say the move reflects a broader campaign to silence critics — including lawyers, journalists, and civil society leaders — many of whom have fled the country. Bukele, …

In Trump’s Washington, ‘You Don’t Leave Home Without Your Lawyer’

The legal landscape in Washington has exploded under Trump’s second term, with over 400 lawsuits filed against his administration—most of them in the capital. As top firms buckle under political pressure, public interest groups like Democracy Forward and the ACLU have stepped up, rapidly expanding their legal teams to meet the demand. Lawyers describe a …

Woods and Barclay (2008), “Cause Lawyers As Legal Innovators With And Against The State: Symbiosis Or Opposition?”

This article challenges the traditional view of cause lawyers as inherently oppositional and leftist actors standing against a singular, monolithic state.

Tam (2012), Legal Mobilization under Authoritarianism: The Case of Post-Colonial Hong

This article explores the dynamics of legal mobilization under authoritarian regimes, using post-colonial Hong Kong as a case study.

Lee (2017), “Beyond the ‘Professional Project’: The Political Positioning of Hong Kong Lawyers”

This article explores the political positioning of lawyers in Hong Kong, challenging conventional theories in the sociology of professions that focus on status and market control.

Alford (2010), “‘Second lawyers, first principles’: Lawyers, Rice-Roots Legal Workers, and the Battle Over Legal Professionalism in China”

This article explores the development and significance of these parallel legal personnel systems in China’s legal modernization.

Provost (2015), “Teetering on the Edge of Legal Nihilism: Russia and the Evolving European Human Rights Regime”

This article examines the fragile state of the rule of law in Russia, highlighting its complicated relationship with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) since Russia ratified the European Convention in 1998.