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Korea Herald
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Mark Z. Barabak] Odd alliances in Trump lawfare
Lawfare makes for strange bedfellows. As part of his tightening grip on power, and his assault on 200-plus years of checks and balances, President Donald Trump has bludgeoned some of the nation's leading law firms into shameful submission, extracting hundreds of millions of dollars worth of free legal work for his pet causes. More significantly, the vengeful felon-in-chief has sent a clear-cut message: Oppose his heedless, plainly unconstitutional actions in court — one of the only avenues left to fight Trump's creeping authoritarianism — and there will be a dear price to pay. Given that choice -- between principle and profits — many high-powered litigators have collapsed like a cheap umbrella. But not all. Last week, the LA-based law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson filed a federal court brief denouncing Trump's targeting of Perkins Coie — which numbered Hillary Clinton among past clients — and other legal firms facing wrongful retribution for, among other things, holding the Jan. 6 rioters to account. The ranks of Munger, Tolles used to include one Usha Vance, who resigned in the summer after her husband, JD, was chosen as Trump's vice presidential running mate and avenging mini-me. Small world. The political views of America's second lady are something of a well-kept mystery. Though she clerked for the conservative Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the even more conservative Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh before his ascension to the Supreme Court, Vance was a registered Democrat until at least 2014. By signing on with Munger, Tolles, the Yale Law School graduate embraced a firm that describes its corporate culture as "radically progressive." Its reputation is no secret. In a 2019 column, the American Lawyer called Munger, Tolles "a top contender in the cool, woke category" — which is about as far removed from the Trump World groove as it gets. Kind of like a drag queen showing up at a MAGA picnic. It's impossible to know what's going on inside Vance's head as she finds her old law firm so fiercely at odds with her new political peer group. But there was a definite hostage-video vibe to her appearances during the presidential campaign, giving students of body language a speculative field day. Also worth noting: The second lady's mom is a University of California San Diego provost and big promoter of diversity, equity and inclusion — which Trump regards with the enmity other presidents once reserved for al-Qaida and the former Soviet Union. Who wouldn't love to be a fly on the wall when the extended Vance family gets together? As it happens, the nation's former second gentleman, as Doug Emhoff was known, is also crossways with his legal firm. Kamala Harris' spouse, a longtime entertainment, media and intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles, joined the white-shoe law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher after the former vice president left the White House. This month, Willkie Farr caved to Trump's intimidation campaign, agreeing to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal work during Trump's presidency and beyond. The firm's services will be dedicated to helping veterans, Gold Star families, law enforcement offices and first responders — all unarguably meritorious individuals deserving of support. Still, blackmail is no way to enlist the firm's good counsel. By coincidence, Emhoff spoke to Georgetown Law School students shortly before a preening Trump announced Willkie Farr's surrender on social media. "The rule of law is under attack. Democracy is under attack," Emhoff said. "And so, all of us lawyers need to do what we can to push back on that. Us lawyers have always been on the front lines, fighting for civil rights, for justice. ... I love being a lawyer, this is what we do: We fight for people. We fight for what's right." Emhoff subsequently made known his unhappiness with the firm's capitulation, though he stopped short of quitting — as some have urged — to protest its bended knee. "I disagree with the decision that my firm made to settle? I do," he said at a recent Los Angeles fundraiser for Bet Tzedek, a legal aid organization Emhoff has supported for more than 30 years. "I wanted them to fight a patently unconstitutional potential executive order. "Our legal system depends on the willingness of institutions — law firms, clients — to stand firm, and stand together," he went on. "They need to do that in the face of pressure and we need to do it to defend the principles that define our democracy. "At this very critical moment, I urge my colleagues across the legal profession to remain vigilant, engaged and unafraid to challenge actions that may erode our fundamental rights." Emhoff's summons was a clarion call, crisp and clear. Would that a certain resident of the vice presidential mansion add her public voice to the fight to preserve the rule of law and protect our imperiled democracy. Mark Z. Barabak Mark Z. Barabak is a political columnist for The Los Angeles Times, The views expressed here are the writer's own. -- Ed.
Korea Herald
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Mark Z. Barabak] Odd alliances in Trump lawfare
Lawfare makes for strange bedfellows. As part of his tightening grip on power, and his assault on 200-plus years of checks and balances, President Donald Trump has bludgeoned some of the nation's leading law firms into shameful submission, extracting hundreds of millions of dollars worth of free legal work for his pet causes. More significantly, the vengeful felon-in-chief has sent a clear-cut message: Oppose his heedless, plainly unconstitutional actions in court — one of the only avenues left to fight Trump's creeping authoritarianism — and there will be a dear price to pay. Given that choice -- between principle and profits — many high-powered litigators have collapsed like a cheap umbrella. But not all. Last week, the LA-based law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson filed a federal court brief denouncing Trump's targeting of Perkins Coie — which numbered Hillary Clinton among past clients — and other legal firms facing wrongful retribution for, among other things, holding the Jan. 6 rioters to account. The ranks of Munger, Tolles used to include one Usha Vance, who resigned in the summer after her husband, JD, was chosen as Trump's vice presidential running mate and avenging mini-me. Small world. The political views of America's second lady are something of a well-kept mystery. Though she clerked for the conservative Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the even more conservative Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh before his ascension to the Supreme Court, Vance was a registered Democrat until at least 2014. By signing on with Munger, Tolles, the Yale Law School graduate embraced a firm that describes its corporate culture as "radically progressive." Its reputation is no secret. In a 2019 column, the American Lawyer called Munger, Tolles "a top contender in the cool, woke category" — which is about as far removed from the Trump World groove as it gets. Kind of like a drag queen showing up at a MAGA picnic. It's impossible to know what's going on inside Vance's head as she finds her old law firm so fiercely at odds with her new political peer group. But there was a definite hostage-video vibe to her appearances during the presidential campaign, giving students of body language a speculative field day. Also worth noting: The second lady's mom is a University of California San Diego provost and big promoter of diversity, equity and inclusion — which Trump regards with the enmity other presidents once reserved for al-Qaida and the former Soviet Union. Who wouldn't love to be a fly on the wall when the extended Vance family gets together? As it happens, the nation's former second gentleman, as Doug Emhoff was known, is also crossways with his legal firm. Kamala Harris' spouse, a longtime entertainment, media and intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles, joined the white-shoe law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher after the former vice president left the White House. This month, Willkie Farr caved to Trump's intimidation campaign, agreeing to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal work during Trump's presidency and beyond. The firm's services will be dedicated to helping veterans, Gold Star families, law enforcement offices and first responders — all unarguably meritorious individuals deserving of support. Still, blackmail is no way to enlist the firm's good counsel. By coincidence, Emhoff spoke to Georgetown Law School students shortly before a preening Trump announced Willkie Farr's surrender on social media. "The rule of law is under attack. Democracy is under attack," Emhoff said. "And so, all of us lawyers need to do what we can to push back on that. Us lawyers have always been on the front lines, fighting for civil rights, for justice. ... I love being a lawyer, this is what we do: We fight for people. We fight for what's right." Emhoff subsequently made known his unhappiness with the firm's capitulation, though he stopped short of quitting — as some have urged — to protest its bended knee. "I disagree with the decision that my firm made to settle? I do," he said at a recent Los Angeles fundraiser for Bet Tzedek, a legal aid organization Emhoff has supported for more than 30 years. "I wanted them to fight a patently unconstitutional potential executive order. "Our legal system depends on the willingness of institutions — law firms, clients — to stand firm, and stand together," he went on. "They need to do that in the face of pressure and we need to do it to defend the principles that define our democracy. "At this very critical moment, I urge my colleagues across the legal profession to remain vigilant, engaged and unafraid to challenge actions that may erode our fundamental rights." Emhoff's summons was a clarion call, crisp and clear. Would that a certain resident of the vice presidential mansion add her public voice to the fight to preserve the rule of law and protect our imperiled democracy.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Barabak: The fight over Trump's legal bullying campaign makes for odd alliances
Lawfare makes for strange bedfellows. As part of his tightening grip on power, and his assault on 200-plus years of checks and balances, President Trump has bludgeoned some of the nation's leading law firms into shameful submission, extracting hundreds of millions of dollars worth of free legal work for his pet causes. More significantly, the vengeful felon-in-chief has sent a clear-cut message: Oppose his heedless, plainly unconstitutional actions in court — one of the only avenues left to fight Trump's creeping authoritarianism — and there will be a dear price to pay. Given that choice — between principle and profits — many high-powered litigators have collapsed like a cheap umbrella. But not all. Last week, the L.A.-based law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson filed a federal court brief denouncing Trump's targeting of Perkins Coie — which numbered Hillary Clinton among past clients — and other legal firms facing wrongful retribution for, among other things, holding the Jan. 6 rioters to account. Trump's actions "pose a grave threat to our system of constitutional governance and to the rule of law itself," the firm said in its brief. "The looming threat ... is not lost on anyone practicing law in this country today: any controversial representation challenging actions of the current administration (or even causes it disfavors) now brings with it the risk of devastating retaliation." Read more: Calmes: The case that proves the U.S., under Trump, no longer stands for rule of law The ranks of Munger, Tolles used to include one Usha Vance, who resigned in the summer after her husband, JD, was chosen as Trump's vice presidential running mate and avenging mini-me. Small world. The political views of America's second lady are something of a well-kept mystery. Though she clerked for the conservative Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the even-more conservative Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh before his ascension to the Supreme Court, Vance was a registered Democrat until at least 2014. By signing on with Munger, Tolles, the Yale Law School graduate embraced a firm that describes its corporate culture as 'radically progressive." Its reputation is no secret. In a 2019 column, the American Lawyer called Munger, Tolles 'a top contender in the cool, woke category' — which is about as far removed from the Trump World groove as it gets. Kind of like a drag queen showing up at a MAGA picnic. It's impossible to know what's going on inside Vance's head as she finds her old law firm so fiercely at odds with her new political peer group. But there was a definite hostage-video vibe to her appearances during the presidential campaign, giving students of body language a speculative field day. Also worth noting: The second lady's mom is a UC San Diego provost and big promoter of diversity, equity and inclusion — which Trump regards with the enmity other presidents once reserved for Al Qaeda and the former Soviet Union. Who wouldn't love to be a fly on the wall when the extended Vance family gets together? As it happens, the nation's former second gentleman, as Doug Emhoff was known, is also crossways with his legal firm. Kamala Harris' spouse, a longtime entertainment, media and intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles, joined the white-shoe law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher after the former vice president left the White House. This month, Willkie Farr caved to Trump's intimidation campaign, agreeing to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal work during Trump's presidency and beyond. The firm's services will be dedicated to helping veterans, Gold Star families, law enforcement offices and first responders — all unarguably meritorious individuals deserving of support. Still, blackmail is no way to enlist the firm's good counsel. By coincidence, Emhoff spoke to Georgetown Law School students shortly before a preening Trump announced Willkie Farr's surrender on social media. Read more: Defying courts in deportation cases, Trump risks a tipping point, experts say 'The rule of law is under attack. Democracy is under attack," Emhoff said. "And so, all of us lawyers need to do what we can to push back on that. Us lawyers have always been on the front lines, fighting for civil rights, for justice. ... I love being a lawyer, this is what we do: We fight for people. We fight for what's right.' Emhoff subsequently made known his unhappiness with the firm's capitulation, though he's stopped short of quitting — as some have urged — to protest its bended knee. "I disagree with the decision that my firm made to settle — I do," he said at a recent Los Angeles fundraiser for Bet Tzedek, a legal aid organization Emhoff has supported for more than 30 years. "I wanted them to fight a patently unconstitutional potential executive order. "Our legal system depends on the willingness of institutions — law firms, clients — to stand firm, and stand together," he went on. "They need to do that in the face of pressure and we need to do it to defend the principles that define our democracy. "At this very critical moment, I urge my colleagues across the legal profession to remain vigilant, engaged and unafraid to challenge actions that may erode our fundamental rights." Emhoff's summons was a clarion call, crisp and clear. Would that a certain resident of the vice presidential mansion add her public voice to the fight to preserve the rule of law and protect our imperiled democracy. Get the latest from Mark Z. BarabakFocusing on politics out West, from the Golden Gate to the U.S. me up. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
The fight over Trump's legal bullying campaign makes for odd alliances
Lawfare makes for strange bedfellows. As part of his tightening grip on power, and his assault on 200-plus years of checks and balances, President Trump has bludgeoned some of the nation's leading law firms into shameful submission, extracting hundreds of millions of dollars worth of free legal work for his pet causes. More significantly, the vengeful felon-in-chief has sent a clear-cut message: Oppose his heedless, plainly unconstitutional actions in court — one of the only avenues left to fight Trump's creeping authoritarianism — and there will be a dear price to pay. Given that choice — between principle and profits — many high-powered litigators have collapsed like a cheap umbrella. But not all. Last week, the L.A.-based law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson filed a federal court brief denouncing Trump's targeting of Perkins Coie — which numbered Hillary Clinton among past clients — and other legal firms facing wrongful retribution for, among other things, holding the Jan. 6 rioters to account. Trump's actions 'pose a grave threat to our system of constitutional governance and to the rule of law itself,' the firm said in its brief. 'The looming threat ... is not lost on anyone practicing law in this country today: any controversial representation challenging actions of the current administration (or even causes it disfavors) now brings with it the risk of devastating retaliation.' The ranks of Munger, Tolles used to include one Usha Vance, who resigned in the summer after her husband, JD, was chosen as Trump's vice presidential running mate and avenging mini-me. Small world. The political views of America's second lady are something of a well-kept mystery. Though she clerked for the conservative Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the even-more conservative Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh before his ascension to the Supreme Court, Vance was a registered Democrat until at least 2014. By signing on with Munger, Tolles, the Yale Law School graduate embraced a firm that describes its corporate culture as 'radically progressive.' Its reputation is no secret. In a 2019 column, the American Lawyer called Munger, Tolles 'a top contender in the cool, woke category' — which is about as far removed from the Trump World groove as it gets. Kind of like a drag queen showing up at a MAGA picnic. It's impossible to know what's going on inside Vance's head as she finds her old law firm so fiercely at odds with her new political peer group. But there was a definite hostage-video vibe to her appearances during the presidential campaign, giving students of body language a speculative field day. Also worth noting: The second lady's mom is a UC San Diego provost and big promoter of diversity, equity and inclusion — which Trump regards with the enmity other presidents once reserved for Al Qaeda and the former Soviet Union. Who wouldn't love to be a fly on the wall when the extended Vance family gets together? As it happens, the nation's former second gentleman, as Doug Emhoff was known, is also crossways with his legal firm. Kamala Harris' spouse, a longtime entertainment, media and intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles, joined the white-shoe law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher after the former vice president left the White House. This month, Willkie Farr caved to Trump's intimidation campaign, agreeing to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal work during Trump's presidency and beyond. The firm's services will be dedicated to helping veterans, Gold Star families, law enforcement offices and first responders — all unarguably meritorious individuals deserving of support. Still, blackmail is no way to enlist the firm's good counsel. By coincidence, Emhoff spoke to Georgetown Law School students shortly before a preening Trump announced Willkie Farr's surrender on social media. 'The rule of law is under attack. Democracy is under attack,' Emhoff said. 'And so, all of us lawyers need to do what we can to push back on that. Us lawyers have always been on the front lines, fighting for civil rights, for justice. ... I love being a lawyer, this is what we do: We fight for people. We fight for what's right.' Emhoff subsequently made known his unhappiness with the firm's capitulation, though he's stopped short of quitting — as some have urged — to protest its bended knee. 'I disagree with the decision that my firm made to settle — I do,' he said at a recent Los Angeles fundraiser for Bet Tzedek, a legal aid organization Emhoff has supported for more than 30 years. 'I wanted them to fight a patently unconstitutional potential executive order. 'Our legal system depends on the willingness of institutions — law firms, clients — to stand firm, and stand together,' he went on. 'They need to do that in the face of pressure and we need to do it to defend the principles that define our democracy. 'At this very critical moment, I urge my colleagues across the legal profession to remain vigilant, engaged and unafraid to challenge actions that may erode our fundamental rights.' Emhoff's summons was a clarion call, crisp and clear. Would that a certain resident of the vice presidential mansion add her public voice to the fight to preserve the rule of law and protect our imperiled democracy.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
More than 80 ex-staffers of top law firm express ‘deep outrage' over Trump deal
More than 80 former employees of Skadden, Arps, Meagher & Flom sent a letter to the law firm on Friday expressing 'deep outrage' over its decision to reach an agreement with Donald Trump in order to avoid an executive order punishing the firm. Skadden, a top-ranked law firm, reached an agreement, announced on 28 March, to commit at least $100m in pro-bono services to causes both the firm and the president support, including assisting veterans, law enforcement, local government officials and combatting antisemitism. The agreement also says Skadden won't engage in race-based hiring. In exchange, Skadden will avoid being the subject of one of Trump's executive orders punishing law firms. The president has issued orders targeting several firms, threatening to cripple them by revoking security clearances, barring attorneys from access to government buildings, and forcing clients to disclose their relationship to the firm if they do business with the government. Related: 'A capitalistic cowardice': big law firms being threatened by Trump face pressure to speak out Experts see Trump's efforts to intimidate lawyers from taking on cases adverse to the president's interests as deeply anti-democratic, and employees and former employees of many of the firms targeted by the president have pushed back. 'As attorneys, we all took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States,' the letter from former Skadden employees said. 'As one of the country's most powerful and most profitable law firms, Skadden's influence over the legal profession cannot be understated. In light of Skadden's position, it is outrageous and self-interested that rather than fulfilling the legal profession's oath and standing in solidarity with fellow law firms that were fighting to uphold the Constitution, Skadden caved to bullying tactics instead.' Many of the country's biggest and most profitable firms have stayed largely silent on the executive orders. They have declined so far to join an amicus brief being circulated by the firm Munger, Tolles & Olson in support of a challenge to the executive orders, according to the New York Times. Skadden reached the preemptive agreement after Perkins Coie, another firm targeted by Trump, successfully got a court to issue an injunction blocking most parts of the order. Skadden's agreement was also announced the same day two other prominent firms, Jenner & Block and WilmerHale, sued over executive orders targeting them. Both firms were also able to secure court orders blocking most of the provisions in Trump's orders against them. Some lawyers at major law firms have been so angry over the position their employers have taken that they have quit. 'I believe, as I know many of you do, that what the current presidential administration is doing is wrong,' Thomas Sipp, a Skadden associate, who quit this week wrote in a departure email. 'That we are sliding into an autocracy where those in power are above the rule of law. Skadden's agreement with the Trump administration sent our country deeper down this descent.' Law students and attorneys are also closely monitoring which firms are heeding Trump. A spreadsheet circulating online lists more than a dozen firms who have taken action to accommodate the administration in some way, even if they haven't been targeted. One first-year law student at one of the country's top law schools told the Guardian on Thursday that he was tracking how firms were responding and it was influencing where they were applying for a job. Skadden's capitulation, the alumni wrote in their letter, had only paved the way for Trump to further bully other firms into settling. Two other firms, Wilkie, Farr, and Gallgher and Milbank LLP have also reached preemptive deals with Trump. Related: Two more law firms reach deals with Trump to avoid executive orders: 'They're all bending' 'We were shocked to hear about Skadden's concessions, concessions given under the threat of an executive order whose substance had already been blocked by a federal court,' the letter said. 'The deals Willkie Farr and Milbank struck with President Trump this week evinces the deeply disturbing behavior that Skadden helped normalize.' The agreement also takes aim at the firm's prestigious Skadden fellowship, in which 25 to 30 lawyers a year from the nation's top law schools work on social justice issues. Under the agreement with Trump, lawyers in the fellowship have to 'represent a wide range of political views, including conservative ideals'. At least five lawyers from the fellowship have to be assigned to 'assisting Veterans; ensuring fairness in our Justice System; combatting Antisemitism, and other similar types of projects'. 'As alumni who have proudly represented Skadden in a variety of practice areas, we call on you to clearly affirm the firm's commitment to reject the administration's attacks on the judiciary, the Constitution, and rule of law before it's too late,' the letter said.
