American Bar Association sues Trump admin for threatening lawyers' freedom

Business Standard

5 hours ago

The American Bar Association sued the US President Donald Trump's administration on Monday (local time) to stop him from using executive orders to pressure and punish law firms.
The American Bar Association, or ABA, a voluntary organisation for lawyers, accused Trump of threatening the independence of lawyers and attempting to intimidate them from challenging him in court, The Washington Post reported. The group's lawsuit said, 'Never before has there been as urgent a need for the ABA to defend its members, their profession, and the rule of law itself.'
This comes after Trump, in a series of executive orders, rattled the legal profession and punished some law firms. ABA, in its lawsuit, alleged that the executive orders Trump signed and the agreements it made with several law firms to ease federal sanctions have cast a 'blizzard-like chill' across the legal industry, Politico reported. The group in its lawsuit added, 'Since taking office earlier this year, President Trump has used the vast powers of the Executive Branch to coerce lawyers and law firms to abandon clients, causes, and policy positions the President does not like.'
Top law firms challenge Trump orders
The major law firms that have been impacted the most by Trump's executive orders include Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Four firms sued to challenge the Trump administration. Calling them unconstitutional, a federal court in Washington struck down three of those orders. A ruling in the fourth lawsuit, which has been filed by the firm Susman Godfrey, is pending, though the judge hearing that case has temporarily blocked most of Trump's punishments.
Trump's executive orders and memos sought to freeze the federal caseload and restricted lawyers from entering the government buildings.
Allegations of legal intimidation tactics
The ABA's lawsuit details how President Trump and his administration have adopted and implemented this Law Firm Intimidation Policy on an ongoing basis. The administration has targeted firms who have engaged in disfavoured conduct. It has issued sanctions designed to cripple their businesses and limit their ability to freely represent clients.
The intimidation tactics include:
Terminating security clearances
Cancelling government contracts held by the law firms or their clients
Restricting access to federal buildings.
Refusing to hire employees from these firms for federal government jobs.
White House dismisses ABA lawsuit
Reacting to the lawsuit, the White House spokesperson Harrison Fields termed them 'completely frivolous'. He added, 'The President has always had discretion over which contracts the government enters into and who receives security clearances. His exercise of these core executive functions cannot be dictated by the ABA, a private organisation, or the courts. The Administration looks forward to ultimate victory on this issue.'
Tensions have escalated after the Justice Department officials accused the ABA group of bias and blocking its staff from attending the events.