On April 4, 2025, more than 500 law firms, including Beeman & Muchmore, LLP, joined in the filing of an amicus curiae brief to support Perkins Coie, one of the most respected law firms in the country, which is currently at the center of a legal battle for its life.
And, as of today, April 11, 2025, Beeman & Muchmore is proudly joining the amicus curiae filings of not just one but two additional briefs, now in three separate actions, against the Trump administration, filed by certain of the law firms he has targeted to date – Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Jenner & Block. All three lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Court, District of Columbia.
It is not hyperbole to suggest that the Trump administration’s assault on these and other law firms represents the single greatest threat in recent memory to the bedrock separation of powers our democracy rests upon and, further, the crucial role that the judiciary plays in maintaining the rule of law. And, with history being forged each passing day, equally notable is the absence from the amicus curiae filings of most of the AmLaw 200 firms. As of this date, most large firms have either capitulated to Trump’s unlawful orders or appear to be scrambling to comply in advance of the anticipated time in which the Trump administration set its sights on them.
On March 6, 2025, the Trump administration targeted Perkins Coie LLP, suspending the firm's security clearances and ordering federal agencies to stop working with the firm. The Trump administration criticized the firm for its alleged “dishonest and dangerous activity,” primarily because of its work with the Democratic Party, including hiring a firm to investigate Trump’s ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign. The administration also attacked the firm’s diversity efforts and certain of its clients that purportedly opposed aspects of the administration.
In response, Perkins Coie filed a lawsuit on March 11, 2025, arguing that the administration’s order was intended to intimidate those who disagree with the President’s views, whether they represent paying or pro bono clients. The next day, a federal judge temporarily blocked part of the order.
On March 25, 2025, the Trump administration targeted Jenner & Block LLP; on March 27, 2025, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP. These three orders are menacingly similar in form and execution – a clear signal that, with minor adjustments, the one-size-fits-all format can be tweaked to apply to any firm of the administration’s choosing. While firms with a certain profile may be higher on Trump’s modernized “enemy list,” one thing is certain: no law firm is safe from the President’s misguided wrath.
Suffice to say, the American Bar Association (ABA) is not happy about this. ABA President William R. Bay slammed the order, saying “Lawyers must be free to represent clients and perform their ethical duty without fear of retribution,” noting that the orders are not about professional conduct but about punishing lawyers for representing clients the government does not like. He warned that this could set a dangerous precedent, threatening the ability of lawyers to do their job without fear of political retaliation. Bay stated:
“We will not stay silent in the face of efforts to remake the legal profession into something that rewards those who agree with the government and punishes those who do not.”
Bay’s statement also drew attention to efforts by the Trump administration to “undermine the courts” and “punish judges who rule certain ways.”
Time Magazine provided a concise breakdown of the targeted law firms, why they were targeted, and how they responded:
An alarming – and intended – consequence of the Trump administration’s 2025 executive orders targeting law firms is the chilling effect it has on legal professionals. If these orders are allowed to stand, they will signal that legal representation can be restricted based on the alleged political views of both the client and the lawyer. This will inevitably create a precedent where law firms are forced to navigate the legal landscape in ways that prioritize alignment with those in power over their duty to their clients or to the legal institution itself.
In a stunning example of history repeating itself, each of the three executive orders accuses the targeted law firms of “tak[ing] actions that … undermine bedrock American principles.” Anyone remember the historic House Un-American Activities Committee? Even in 1959, former president Harry S. Truman accurately cited HUAC as the "most un-American thing in the country today." Yet, here we are in 2025, watching the same vague and jingoistic platitudes being used to undermine our profession.
The ability to represent clients freely without political considerations is a cornerstone of the legal profession. The Trump administration’s orders threaten to undermine this core principle, turning legal representation into a political battlefield rather than a fair and impartial process.
At Beeman & Muchmore, our commitment is to our profession, to the system of justice and to our clients.
We are proud to share that Beeman & Muchmore, LLP, was described as among the law firms who “stood up against (the Trump) administration’s attacks” in a list that was compiled by the Coalition for Justice, a grassroots organization of law students monitoring events and gathering data during these unprecedented times in the legal industry. We would like to express our gratitude and admiration for our fellow lawyers, legal professionals and law firms who are taking the fight to our courts of law.
* * *
As the legal challenges to the executive orders unfold, the meaningful show of support for the targeted law firms signals that many in the legal profession are not willing to stand by and watch as political influence threatens to undermine our core values. The cases are far from over, but the response shown in these filings highlights a deep divide between those firms that are committed to defending the independence of the legal profession and those that feel safer agreeing to compromise our profession’s fundamental principles.
In the end, these cases will not only determine the fate of Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, and Jenner & Block, but will also send a message about the future of legal representation in America. We remain united in our belief that justice must be blind to politics and that no law firm or legal professional should be punished based on political bias and retribution.
Published on April 11, 2025
Software licensors are known for vague contracts—they’ve made a business of it.
Read the latest industry news.
