CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of the law firm Susman Godfrey, which is challenging an unconstitutional executive order issued as retribution against the firm for representing clients in the aftermath of the 2020 election and defending the integrity of that election.
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The order, similar to others targeting specific law firms for their representation of causes and clients that the president dislikes, violates the firm’s rights to free speech, due process and other constitutional protections.
“Since our country’s founding, the First Amendment has protected lawyers who represent disfavored clients and causes. President Trump’s retaliatory orders defy these protections,” Raoul said. “I will not sit by silently as the president bullies and retaliates against law firms for representing clients who are politically disfavored or vulnerable, nor should any other lawyer.”
President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders retaliating against law firms whose advocacy, clients and staff he dislikes. These orders require federal officials to suspend any active security clearances held by the law firms’ workers, to refuse to engage with or hire employees of these firms, and to deny the law firms’ personnel entry to federal buildings. The orders also direct federal contractors to disclose any business with the law firms so that agencies can terminate any such contracts. Four courts have reviewed those orders, and all four have issued temporary restraining orders largely blocking these unlawful executive orders.
Susman Godfrey was named in one of these retaliatory executive orders in early April. Susman obtained temporary injunctive relief in federal court earlier this month and is now asking the court to permanently block the executive order against it.
When granting the temporary injunctive relief, the judge said, “The executive order is based on a personal vendetta against a particular firm. And, frankly, I think the framers of our Constitution would view it as a shocking abuse of power.”
Raoul and the coalition note that a fair and functioning judicial system depends on lawyers being willing to work on controversial cases or represent unpopular clients without fearing retribution by the government. The attorneys general say the orders will harm their states’ residents by making it more difficult for many potential clients – especially those who currently rely on pro bono representation – to obtain legal services and vindicate their rights in court.
Earlier this month, Raoul co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing two amicus briefs supporting law firms challenging similar unconstitutional executive orders. In March, Raoul joined issued an open letter to the legal community warning of illegal attempts by the Trump administration to deter lawyers from challenging the administration’s actions or representing clients disfavored by the administration. Raoul also coined an op-ed published in Crain’s Chicago Business urging the legal community to stand strong in light of Trump’s actions.
Joining Raoul in leading the coalition are the attorneys general of Massachusetts, New Jersey and Washington. The coalition was joined in filing the amicus brief by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.
