The American Bar Association (ABA) has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging what it describes as a "Law Firm Intimidation Policy." The ABA alleges that the White House has engaged in a deliberate campaign to intimidate and coerce law firms and lawyers, aiming to prevent them from taking legal actions that challenge President Donald Trump. The lawsuit asserts that these actions threaten the independence of the legal profession and are unconstitutional. The ABA's complaint highlights concerns that the administration is using federal power to sideline some of the country's top law firms by discouraging them from representing clients in cases unfavorable to the president. This legal action marks an escalation in the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the legal community.
Fourteen US civil rights groups say law firms they rely on for legal challenges are hesitating, keeping representation quiet or turning them down amid Trump’s pressure, according to interviews and court filings https://t.co/NIg1ZYcklH @specialreports https://t.co/o2vPQnWcT7
Pro bono work is now being reshaped into a tool of political coercion under Trump, said Steven Banks, the former head of pro bono at Paul Weiss. https://t.co/dT0KSmbxJw
Many major law firms, wary of political retaliation, are making a strategic calculation: withdraw from pro bono work frowned on by Trump, or risk becoming the next target, a Reuters investigation found https://t.co/LDFGVvrgo0 @specialreports https://t.co/PpDzVFdRbQ