On April 25, 2025, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by federal agents and charged with obstruction and concealing an individual to avoid arrest. The charges stem from an incident in her courtroom where Judge Dugan allegedly helped a Mexican national evade immigration agents during a scheduled court appearance. The FBI claims Dugan …
In a powerful act of protest, Willkie Farr associate Andrew Silberstein publicly resigned after the firm agreed to a deal with the Trump administration that many viewed as capitulating to political pressure. In his striking resignation letter, Silberstein criticized the firm for compromising its principles and failing to stand up for the rule of law …
More than 700 U.S. law firm partners have filed a court brief supporting Susman Godfrey’s lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order, which targets law firms representing clients opposed to his administration. The executive order restricts access to government buildings and threatens federal contracts, accusing firms like Susman of undermining elections—a claim they deny. The …
Two major U.S. law firms, Perkins Coie and WilmerHale, asked federal judges to permanently block executive orders issued by President Trump that they argue retaliate against them for past legal work opposing Trump and his allies. The firms contend the orders violate constitutional protections and threaten the legal profession’s independence. Although courts have already temporarily …
In a strongly worded letter to the U.S. Department of Justice, attorney Abbe Lowell, representing New York Attorney General Letitia James, denounces a politically motivated “criminal referral” against James initiated by a Trump administration official. Lowell argues the referral recycles long-debunked claims and minor clerical errors in property documents, all aimed at retaliating against James …
In a conversation with Amsterdam Law School, Professor Scott Cummings (UCLA) warns that the United States is undergoing severe democratic backsliding during Donald Trump’s second term. According to Cummings, Trump is systematically attacking independent institutions like courts, the press, and universities — notably pressuring Harvard by threatening its charitable status. Trump is also targeting the …
Human Rights Watch has called on the Maldives government to reinstate three Supreme Court justices—Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, Mahaz Ali Zahir, and Husnu Al Suood—who were suspended by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) under what observers describe as politically motivated disciplinary actions. The suspensions occurred as the Supreme Court was preparing to rule on a politically …
On April 23, 2025, three federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York—Celia V. Cohen, Andrew Rohrbach, and Derek Wikstrom—resigned after refusing to admit wrongdoing in the high-profile bribery case against New York Mayor Eric Adams. The Justice Department had suspended the prosecutors and allegedly demanded they express regret as a condition for reinstatement. …
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom was accused of restricting internal discussions among its lawyers regarding the firm’s controversial deal with President Trump to avoid punitive executive orders targeting the firm. The National Institute for Workers’ Rights filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that Skadden unlawfully interfered with employees’ rights to …
Freedom House’s new policy brief, Justice in Shackles: The Global Persecution of Judges and Lawyers, documents how repressive governments worldwide are increasingly targeting legal and judicial professionals to undermine the rule of law. Between 2014 and 2024, politicized detention, prosecution, or imprisonment of judges, prosecutors, and especially lawyers occurred in at least 78 of 112 …