The American Bar Association’s Task Force for American Democracy has recommended that every U.S. state expand lawyer oaths to include a commitment to upholding democracy and the rule of law. The proposal comes amid declining public trust in government and legal institutions, after a two-year bipartisan review led by former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson …
Veteran Washington lawyer Abbe Lowell has emerged as one of the only attorneys in Washington willing to take on Donald Trump during his second term, after the president targeted law firms representing immigrants, diversity causes, or other opposition. While big firms backed away from cases under pressure, Lowell left his practice to open his own …
At the inauguration of the Hyderabad branch of the London-based 52 Gates Law Firm, IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu urged legal professionals to zealously protect India’s Constitution. He emphasized that the egalitarian framework, crafted by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and nurtured by Jawaharlal Nehru, is under threat from forces seeking to undermine democracy. Sridhar …
Michelle Behnke, a Wisconsin attorney with Boardman Clark, has become the new president of the American Bar Association (ABA). In her remarks at the ABA Annual Meeting in Toronto, Behnke pledged to strengthen the rule of law by advocating for judicial independence, ensuring the safety of judges, and promoting an inclusive and fair justice system. …
In response to renewed concerns over executive overreach, a group of veteran attorneys has launched the Washington Litigation Group — a new law firm dedicated to providing free legal representation to individuals and institutions targeted by President Trump’s administration. The firm’s mission is clear: challenge the erosion of legal norms and defend democratic institutions. One …
In a powerful message from ABA President William R. Bay, the American Bar Association reflects on a pivotal choice it made six months ago: to speak out amid rising threats to the rule of law. Faced with judicial intimidation, attacks on public servants, government resistance to court orders, and assaults on diversity and civil rights, …
In a bold move, the prestigious law firm Milbank has joined a legal battle to defend the sanctuary city policies of Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, and Paterson. Prominent attorneys including former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal have agreed to steeply reduce their hourly rates—Katyal, who normally charges $3,250 per hour, will now work for just …
More than 900 former U.S. Department of Justice employees have signed a letter warning the Senate Judiciary Committee against confirming Emil Bove, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The letter, organized by the advocacy group Justice Connection, criticizes Bove’s leadership and alleged role in undermining constitutional norms, …
In this commentary, law professors Abbe Smith and Ellen Yaroshefsky reflect on the legal profession’s responsibility to uphold ethical standards, focusing on efforts to initiate an ethics investigation into former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. They emphasize the duty of lawyers to speak out when legal ethics are undermined, especially in politically charged contexts. The …
Prominent conservative litigator and former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement has been retained to defend 15 federal judges in Maryland, as well as the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, in a highly unusual lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice. The lawsuit, brought by the Trump administration, challenges a court order …