University of Wisconsin–Madison

Category: Lawyers Against Democratic Decline

Law firm partners back Susman Godfrey in lawsuit over Trump executive order

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 law firms urge judges to permanently block Trump’s executive orders

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 …

Read resignation letter from SDNY prosecutors asked to admit ‘wrongdoing’

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. …

Former Top Government Lawyers Defend Law Firms Targeted by Trump

As Donald Trump escalates efforts to punish law firms involved in cases against him, several former U.S. solicitors general — including Donald Verrilli, Paul Clement, and Elizabeth Prelogar — are stepping in to challenge his executive orders. These orders strip targeted firms of federal contracts and bar their lawyers from interacting with government agencies. Framing …

Bar Associations File Amicus Brief in Support of Perkins Coie (Read it)

On April 8, 2025, the New York City Bar Association and more than a dozen other bar associations filed an amicus brief supporting Perkins Coie LLP in its legal challenge to Executive Order No. 14230 issued by President Trump. The EO restricts law firms like Perkins Coie from representing clients who do business with the …

Big Law launches a trickle of resistance against Trump’s crackdown

More than 500 law firms have signed an amicus brief supporting Perkins Coie in its legal challenge against a series of retaliatory executive orders issued by President Trump, which critics argue threaten the rule of law and represent an abuse of executive power.

She Inspired Laws to Hold the Fossil Fuel Industry Accountable. Now She’s a Target.

Rachel Rothschild, a law professor whose legal research helped inspire groundbreaking “climate superfund” laws in New York and Vermont, has become the focus of a politically motivated campaign by fossil fuel-aligned groups. These organizations are using public records lawsuits and media pressure to discredit her work and discourage climate litigation. The campaign, backed by industry …

As DOJ Employees Fear What Comes Next, Alums Form Group to Help

Amid rising concerns among Department of Justice employees about political retribution under the Trump administration, a group of DOJ alumni has launched a network to support current staff. The group, composed of former DOJ lawyers across administrations, aims to protect the independence of career civil servants and defend them against intimidation, especially as Trump signals …

Sudanese Lawyers Condemn Deadly RSF Shelling in Khartoum

On March 24, 2025, the Emergency Lawyers network in Sudan reported that at least five civilians were killed and dozens injured during paramilitary shelling on a mosque in eastern Khartoum. The attack, blamed on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), occurred during evening prayers and targeted non-combatants in the East Nile district. This marks the second …

ACLU Reacts to President Trump’s Latest Directive Threatening Lawyers and Law Firms

The ACLU strongly condemned a recent executive order by President Trump targeting law firms and attorneys involved in cases or causes he opposes, including immigration and civil rights work. Describing the move as a direct attack on the rule of law and legal representation, the ACLU emphasized that lawyers must be able to represent clients …