U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche escalated the administration’s attacks on the judiciary, urging young lawyers to join what he called a “war” against “rogue activist judges.” Speaking at the Federalist Society’s annual conference, Blanche said DOJ lawyers are “bouncing around this country fighting these activist judges,” claiming some judges are now “as political as …
In November 2025, Senior U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf publicly resigned from the federal bench, arguing that President Trump poses an “existential threat to democracy.” Writing in The Atlantic, Wolf accused the administration of weaponizing the justice system—pursuing political adversaries while protecting allies, donors, and friends from legal scrutiny. Wolf, a Reagan appointee with …
At an October 21 event hosted by the New York City Bar Association, leading legal experts from India and the United States warned of escalating threats to judicial independence in both countries. The panel—featuring Justice S. Muralidhar, UN Special Rapporteur Margaret Satterthwaite, retired U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin, and civil rights attorney Samah Sisay—highlighted growing …
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) expressed strong concern over reports from the United States indicating increasing retaliation, intimidation, and politically motivated actions against justice officials. According to the Commission, recent statements and measures by state authorities appear to target prosecutors and public servants for carrying out their professional duties or for their perceived …
Lawyers in Nagpur staged a symbolic protest by wearing red ribbons at the District and Sessions Court to draw attention to a surge in violent attacks on advocates across Maharashtra. The demonstration followed a statewide call by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa urging immediate enforcement of the long-pending Advocates’ Protection Act. Members of …
Are we losing our democracy? Countries that slide from democracy toward autocracy tend to follow similar patterns. To measure what is happening in the United States, the N.Y. Times editorial board has compiled a list of 12 markers of democratic erosion under Trump: they are a warning of how much Americans have already lost and …
According to the World Justice Project’s 2025 Rule of Law Index, Romania has dropped three places to 44th globally, reflecting a continued decline in democratic standards and institutional integrity. The report highlights weakening checks on government power, reduced transparency, and growing political interference in the judiciary, echoing a global trend where 68% of countries show …
This week’s Legal Ethics Roundup highlights pressing issues at the intersection of law, ethics, and democracy. Former federal judges warn that DOJ lawyers under the Trump administration have misled courts, raising new questions about government accountability. Other major stories include the California Supreme Court’s refusal to erase attorney discipline records, state attorneys general potentially violating …
This New Yorker article examines how major U.S. law firms responded to Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the broader implications for the legal profession. It argues that many elite firms, once seen as defenders of democratic norms, remained silent or complicit as lawyers within and outside government advanced baseless claims of …
The ACLU is leading the fight to protect civil rights and challenge systemic inequality in housing, employment, education, and beyond. Recent actions by the Trump administration threaten decades of progress by rolling back disparate impact protections — a key tool that holds institutions accountable for policies that disproportionately harm marginalized communities, even without explicit intent …