Federal Judge Strikes Down Executive Order Targeting Law Firm, Sparking Debate on Legal Ethics
BERKELEY, CA – May 6, 2025 – A federal judge permanently struck down a controversial Executive Order issued by President Trump on March 6, 2025, deeming it unconstitutional. The order had outlined punitive measures against the law firm Perkins Coie and its employees for past legal work. The ruling follows widespread opposition from the legal community, with over 500 law firms, nonprofit legal organizations, and law professors filing friend-of-the-court briefs in support of Perkins Coie.
The legal challenge and subsequent outpouring of support raise critical questions about the obligations of lawyers to uphold the rule of law and defend colleagues against politically motivated actions.
A panel discussion, ”Standing Up for the Rule of Law,” part of the Conversations on Civil Justice series, will explore these issues. Speakers include Adam Lauridsen of Keker, Van Nest & Peters; denyse Clancy of Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood; and Ann Southworth, Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Center for Empirical Research on the Legal Profession at UC Irvine school of Law. The discussion will delve into the reasons for the broad legal opposition to the Executive Order, the common ground that united diverse legal voices, and the ethical considerations surrounding continued resistance to similar actions in the future.
The Conversations on civil Justice series is supported by a gift from the AAJ‘s Robert L. Habush Endowment.
Registration for the Zoom webinar is available at: https://berkeley.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wPk4plnDQN2CObtl1AZjIw.
