Late last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order specifically targeting Perkins Coie and Biglaw firms generally over their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. In the far-reaching order, Trump not only “suspend[ed] any active security clearances held by individuals at Perkins Coie” in what seems to be a retaliation for its representation of past presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and its reported connections to the Steele dossier, but also called for a probe into DEI programming conducted by “leading law firms,” with about 15 yet-to-be-named Biglaw firms set to be investigated by the administration.
At the time, a spokesperson for Perkins Coie said that Trump’s executive order is “patently unlawful, and we intend to challenge it,” and the firm has now hired elite litigation powerhouse Williams & Connolly to face off against the government. The New York Times has adds some color on Perkins Coie’s hiring of the top 100 Biglaw firm:
The decision to hire Williams & Connolly — which is considered among the most aggressive and skilled firms in fighting the federal government — marked a significant escalation in the fight between Perkins Coie and Mr. Trump.
There were concerns in the legal community that no firm would step forward to represent Perkins Coie. But now Mr. Trump’s Justice Department will be forced to face off against some of the top litigators in the country to defend what legal experts consider one of his most direct attacks on his perceived enemies, and the American legal system.
The Times notes that Williams & Connolly has a “mixed political pedigree,” with top lawyers including David Kendall, who has represented Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as Emmet Flood, who served as Trump’s White House counsel during his first term, and later went on to represent Mike Pence in the Justice Department’s investigation into Trump’s failed attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
The entire legal profession is watching this case unfold with eyes wide open, as it pits law firms and their choice of clientele against the President of the United States. Let’s hope that justice and the rule of law come out on top here.
Firm Targeted by Trump Over Clinton Campaign Work Hires Top Litigators [New York Times]
Perkins Coie Hires Williams & Connolly to Fight Trump Executive Order [National Law Journal]
Earlier: Trump Signs Executive Order Calling Out Top 50 Biglaw Firm, With Intent To Wage War Against Other ‘Leading Law Firms’ Over Their DEI Policies
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
