WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two prestigious law firms, Jenner & Block and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, successfully secured temporary restraining orders (TROs) on Friday. These orders temporarily halt significant parts of President Donald Trump’s recent executive actions, which included suspending the firms’ attorneys’ security clearances, restricting their access to government facilities, blocking government employment of their staffers, and calling for reviews of their clients’ government contracts.
Represented by former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, Jenner & Block challenged the executive orders on grounds of constitutional rights and legal ethics. Clement, a notable figure who previously parted ways with Kirkland & Ellis over client representation issues, emphasized the lawsuit’s importance for upholding the First Amendment and the integrity of the legal system. His remarks underscored the critical nature of the challenge against the executive orders.
The lawsuit by Jenner & Block was argued in a court presided over by Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, while WilmerHale’s case was heard by Senior U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon. Both judges, appointed during the presidency of George W. Bush, echoed sentiments about the potentially severe impacts of the executive orders on the law firms and broader legal and public spheres.
Judge Bates specifically pointed to the orders’ “firmwide effects” as posing existential threats to Jenner & Block, while Judge Leon highlighted the severe repercussions that the execution of the orders would incur, affecting not just the plaintiff but also its clients and the justice system at large.
In their respective rulings, Bates allowed Jenner & Block to avoid the reassessment of federal contracts by its clients and retained their access to government buildings. Meanwhile, Leon blocked similar provisions against WilmerHale, although he did not interfere with the section concerning security clearances.
A separate but related lawsuit by Perkins Coie also saw action in March when U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell issued a TRO against parts of the orders. This case particularly focused on the implications of Perkins Coie hiring Fusion GPS, the research firm involved in compiling the controversial Steele dossier during the 2016 Presidential campaign.
The executive orders criticized by these lawsuits had specifically targeted the law firms for their associations with former special counsel Robert Mueller and his lead prosecutor, elements which have added to the contentious political atmosphere surrounding these legal confrontations.
As legal battles against presidential executive orders continue, these cases highlight the ongoing tension between the executive branch and legal entities and could set significant precedents regarding the balance of powers and the independence of the legal system in the United States.
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