Latest news with #NathanielZelinsky
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
New non-profit law firm in DC aims to challenge Trump's executive power
A group of well-known Washington lawyers is opening a law firm focused on challenging President Donald Trump's executive orders and agency actions as he strives to dramatically reshape the federal government during his second term. The Washington Litigation Group, a new boutique non-profit firm, is composed of seasoned attorneys, judges and former government employees who lost their jobs when the president took office – with some even emerging from retirement. Its services will be free to those looking to push back on Trump's use of executive power, and the group has already begun representing the head of an independent agency fired by the president. The group is led by Tom Green, former head of Sidley Austin's white-collar practice and a veteran attorney who defended clients during the Watergate investigation and Iran-Contra affair. Nathaniel Zelinsky, an attorney with experience practicing before federal appeals courts as well as the Supreme Court, joins the firm from Milbank and Hogan Lovells. While there are other firms tackling similar cases to the Washington Litigation Group, Zelinsky told CNN in a phone call that their group stand out because of the number of people who have come out of retirement to work for the firm. 'I think that makes the firm different from other folks who are out there who are trying to do this work, in the sense that, we have this collection of extraordinary individuals who have come out of retirement to provide their mentorship and guidance and strategic vision,' Zelinsky said. Zelinsky said that the firm is expected to be active in litigation regarding the unlawful removal of civil servants, agency dissolution and white-collar defense. The new firm has also acquired two former federal prosecutors who were fired under the Trump administration, James Pearce and Mary Dohrmann. Pearce and Dohrmann served in multiple capacities at the Justice Department, including as assistant special counsels to Jack Smith, who was investigating Trump. 'I took pride in being a non-partisan civil servant committed to the rule of law and to doing justice,' Pearce said in a call with CNN. Pearce said the range of experience among the attorneys is a strength, citing that the firm has attorneys familiar with early stages of investigations all the way up to lawyers who have practiced in front of the Supreme Court. Dohrmann emphasized that many of the members of the firm want to continue 'upholding the rule of law' in a non-partisan way as they've done most of their careers. 'I think what we want to do here is continue the great tradition of non-partisan criminal investigations and prosecutions and upholding the rule of law as we've done to this point in our careers,' Dohrmann said in a call with CNN. While the firm said it cannot discuss ongoing litigation, the group publicly represents Cathy Harris, whom Trump fired from her post as chair of the Merit System Protection Board earlier this year. MSPB is an independent agency that has the ability to review and reverse federal employee firings. The Supreme Court ruled in May that Trump did not have to rehire Harris while her legal challenge to her firing plays out. A federal appeals court in DC is still considering whether her removal is lawful at all, as a trial-level judge has already decided. Green, who came out of retirement himself, said in a press release Monday that the firm is 'deeply concerned about the state of the rule of law in our country.' 'Every passing day we see the increased need for committed and talented lawyers to join this cause, and we have done so by engaging some of the best lawyers from government and the private sector as we undertake to do our part,' Green said in the press release. CNN's Paula Reid contributed to this report.
CNN
5 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
New non-profit law firm in DC aims to challenge Trump's executive power
Donald TrumpFacebookTweetLink Follow A group of well-known Washington lawyers is opening a law firm focused on challenging President Donald Trump's executive orders and agency actions as he strives to dramatically reshape the federal government during his second term. The Washington Litigation Group, a new boutique non-profit firm, is composed of seasoned attorneys, judges and former government employees who lost their jobs when the president took office – with some even emerging from retirement. Its services will be free to those looking to push back on Trump's use of executive power, and the group has already begun representing the head of an independent agency fired by the president. The group is led by Tom Green, former head of Sidley Austin's white-collar practice and a veteran attorney who defended clients during the Watergate investigation and Iran-Contra affair. Nathaniel Zelinsky, an attorney with experience practicing before federal appeals courts as well as the Supreme Court, joins the firm from Milbank and Hogan Lovells. While there are other firms tackling similar cases to the Washington Litigation Group, Zelinsky told CNN in a phone call that their group stand out because of the number of people who have come out of retirement to work for the firm. 'I think that makes the firm different from other folks who are out there who are trying to do this work, in the sense that, we have this collection of extraordinary individuals who have come out of retirement to provide their mentorship and guidance and strategic vision,' Zelinsky said. Zelinsky said that the firm is expected to be active in litigation regarding the unlawful removal of civil servants, agency dissolution and white-collar defense. The new firm has also acquired two former federal prosecutors who were fired under the Trump administration, James Pearce and Mary Dohrmann. Pearce and Dohrmann served in multiple capacities at the Justice Department, including as assistant special counsels to Jack Smith, who was investigating Trump. 'I took pride in being a non-partisan civil servant committed to the rule of law and to doing justice,' Pearce said in a call with CNN. Pearce said the range of experience among the attorneys is a strength, citing that the firm has attorneys familiar with early stages of investigations all the way up to lawyers who have practiced in front of the Supreme Court. Dohrmann emphasized that many of the members of the firm want to continue 'upholding the rule of law' in a non-partisan way as they've done most of their careers. 'I think what we want to do here is continue the great tradition of non-partisan criminal investigations and prosecutions and upholding the rule of law as we've done to this point in our careers,' Dohrmann said in a call with CNN. While the firm said it cannot discuss ongoing litigation, the group publicly represents Cathy Harris, whom Trump fired from her post as chair of the Merit System Protection Board earlier this year. MSPB is an independent agency that has the ability to review and reverse federal employee firings. The Supreme Court ruled in May that Trump did not have to rehire Harris while her legal challenge to her firing plays out. A federal appeals court in DC is still considering whether her removal is lawful at all, as a trial-level judge has already decided. Green, who came out of retirement himself, said in a press release Monday that the firm is 'deeply concerned about the state of the rule of law in our country.' 'Every passing day we see the increased need for committed and talented lawyers to join this cause, and we have done so by engaging some of the best lawyers from government and the private sector as we undertake to do our part,' Green said in the press release. CNN's Paula Reid contributed to this report.
CNN
5 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
New non-profit law firm in DC aims to challenge Trump's executive power
Donald TrumpFacebookTweetLink Follow A group of well-known Washington lawyers is opening a law firm focused on challenging President Donald Trump's executive orders and agency actions as he strives to dramatically reshape the federal government during his second term. The Washington Litigation Group, a new boutique non-profit firm, is composed of seasoned attorneys, judges and former government employees who lost their jobs when the president took office – with some even emerging from retirement. Its services will be free to those looking to push back on Trump's use of executive power, and the group has already begun representing the head of an independent agency fired by the president. The group is led by Tom Green, former head of Sidley Austin's white-collar practice and a veteran attorney who defended clients during the Watergate investigation and Iran-Contra affair. Nathaniel Zelinsky, an attorney with experience practicing before federal appeals courts as well as the Supreme Court, joins the firm from Milbank and Hogan Lovells. While there are other firms tackling similar cases to the Washington Litigation Group, Zelinsky told CNN in a phone call that their group stand out because of the number of people who have come out of retirement to work for the firm. 'I think that makes the firm different from other folks who are out there who are trying to do this work, in the sense that, we have this collection of extraordinary individuals who have come out of retirement to provide their mentorship and guidance and strategic vision,' Zelinsky said. Zelinsky said that the firm is expected to be active in litigation regarding the unlawful removal of civil servants, agency dissolution and white-collar defense. The new firm has also acquired two former federal prosecutors who were fired under the Trump administration, James Pearce and Mary Dohrmann. Pearce and Dohrmann served in multiple capacities at the Justice Department, including as assistant special counsels to Jack Smith, who was investigating Trump. 'I took pride in being a non-partisan civil servant committed to the rule of law and to doing justice,' Pearce said in a call with CNN. Pearce said the range of experience among the attorneys is a strength, citing that the firm has attorneys familiar with early stages of investigations all the way up to lawyers who have practiced in front of the Supreme Court. Dohrmann emphasized that many of the members of the firm want to continue 'upholding the rule of law' in a non-partisan way as they've done most of their careers. 'I think what we want to do here is continue the great tradition of non-partisan criminal investigations and prosecutions and upholding the rule of law as we've done to this point in our careers,' Dohrmann said in a call with CNN. While the firm said it cannot discuss ongoing litigation, the group publicly represents Cathy Harris, whom Trump fired from her post as chair of the Merit System Protection Board earlier this year. MSPB is an independent agency that has the ability to review and reverse federal employee firings. The Supreme Court ruled in May that Trump did not have to rehire Harris while her legal challenge to her firing plays out. A federal appeals court in DC is still considering whether her removal is lawful at all, as a trial-level judge has already decided. Green, who came out of retirement himself, said in a press release Monday that the firm is 'deeply concerned about the state of the rule of law in our country.' 'Every passing day we see the increased need for committed and talented lawyers to join this cause, and we have done so by engaging some of the best lawyers from government and the private sector as we undertake to do our part,' Green said in the press release. CNN's Paula Reid contributed to this report.
CNN
5 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
New non-profit law firm in DC aims to challenge Trump's executive power
A group of well-known Washington lawyers is opening a law firm focused on challenging President Donald Trump's executive orders and agency actions as he strives to dramatically reshape the federal government during his second term. The Washington Litigation Group, a new boutique non-profit firm, is composed of seasoned attorneys, judges and former government employees who lost their jobs when the president took office – with some even emerging from retirement. Its services will be free to those looking to push back on Trump's use of executive power, and the group has already begun representing the head of an independent agency fired by the president. The group is led by Tom Green, former head of Sidley Austin's white-collar practice and a veteran attorney who defended clients during the Watergate investigation and Iran-Contra affair. Nathaniel Zelinsky, an attorney with experience practicing before federal appeals courts as well as the Supreme Court, joins the firm from Milbank and Hogan Lovells. While there are other firms tackling similar cases to the Washington Litigation Group, Zelinsky told CNN in a phone call that their group stand out because of the number of people who have come out of retirement to work for the firm. 'I think that makes the firm different from other folks who are out there who are trying to do this work, in the sense that, we have this collection of extraordinary individuals who have come out of retirement to provide their mentorship and guidance and strategic vision,' Zelinsky said. Zelinsky said that the firm is expected to be active in litigation regarding the unlawful removal of civil servants, agency dissolution and white-collar defense. The new firm has also acquired two former federal prosecutors who were fired under the Trump administration, James Pearce and Mary Dohrmann. Pearce and Dohrmann served in multiple capacities at the Justice Department, including as assistant special counsels to Jack Smith, who was investigating Trump. 'I took pride in being a non-partisan civil servant committed to the rule of law and to doing justice,' Pearce said in a call with CNN. Pearce said the range of experience among the attorneys is a strength, citing that the firm has attorneys familiar with early stages of investigations all the way up to lawyers who have practiced in front of the Supreme Court. Dohrmann emphasized that many of the members of the firm want to continue 'upholding the rule of law' in a non-partisan way as they've done most of their careers. 'I think what we want to do here is continue the great tradition of non-partisan criminal investigations and prosecutions and upholding the rule of law as we've done to this point in our careers,' Dohrmann said in a call with CNN. While the firm said it cannot discuss ongoing litigation, the group publicly represents Cathy Harris, whom Trump fired from her post as chair of the Merit System Protection Board earlier this year. MSPB is an independent agency that has the ability to review and reverse federal employee firings. The Supreme Court ruled in May that Trump did not have to rehire Harris while her legal challenge to her firing plays out. A federal appeals court in DC is still considering whether her removal is lawful at all, as a trial-level judge has already decided. Green, who came out of retirement himself, said in a press release Monday that the firm is 'deeply concerned about the state of the rule of law in our country.' 'Every passing day we see the increased need for committed and talented lawyers to join this cause, and we have done so by engaging some of the best lawyers from government and the private sector as we undertake to do our part,' Green said in the press release. CNN's Paula Reid contributed to this report.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
New nonprofit firm in Washington adds to legal resistance to Trump
Aug 4 (Reuters) - A group of former lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department and major law firms launched a new nonprofit on Monday to take on cases for free opposing actions by the Trump administration. Co-founders Nathaniel Zelinsky and James Pearce told Reuters that the Washington Litigation Group will represent targets of criminal and congressional investigations and pursue civil litigation targeting President Donald Trump's executive orders. "We're here to represent folks who need representation in a critical moment for American democracy and the rule of law," Zelinsky said. The new firm is part of the legal team representing Cathy Harris, a Democratic appointee to the Merit Systems Protection Board who was fired from the federal employee labor agency by Trump earlier this year. Zelinsky in June resigned from law firm Milbank, which is among nine major firms that pledged to donate nearly $1 billion in free legal services to causes Trump supports in order to avoid a crackdown by the administration. Milbank is also representing Harris in her lawsuit. Zelinsky declined to name donors to the new firm. He said it has received funding from institutions that support democracy and is seeking to hire at least one more attorney. A Reuters investigation last month found that dozens of major law firms have scaled back pro bono litigation that could place them in conflict with the Trump administration. Joining Zelinsky and Pearce are Samantha Bateman and Mary Dohrmann, both former Justice Department lawyers. Pearce and Dohrmann were members of U.S. special counsel Jack Smith's team that brought criminal cases accusing Trump of illegally retaining classified documents at his Florida social club and attempting to interfere with the certification of the 2020 election. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges and argued the cases reflected a "weaponization" of the legal system. Pearce said he and Dohrmann were fired from the Justice Department in January, after Trump began his second term. A steering committee of retired lawyers and judges will help lead and advise the new firm, including on hiring matters and case selection, Zelinsky and Pearce said. The committee includes Peter Keisler, who served as acting U.S. attorney general under President George W. Bush, and Tom Green, a former head of Sidley Austin's white-collar defense practice who is serving as president of the group. Separately, in May, two former Justice Department lawyers launched the Civil Service Law Center, a law firm founded to "fight against the Trump administration's attempts to dismantle the civil service."
