via
Getty)
When
Donald
Trump
decided
to
attack
Biglaw
firms
through
a
series
of
(likely
unconstitutional)
Executive
Orders
designed
to
extract
a
financial
penalty
for
earning
his
displeasure
and
refusing
to
bend
a
knee,
he
was
going
after
the
rule
of
law,
not
just
the
firms
targeted.
So
when
firms
have
decided
to
fight
the
EOs
—
Perkins
Coie,
Jenner
&
Block,
WilmerHale,
and
Susman
Godfrey
filed
lawsuits
challenging
the
orders
—
it
sparked
the
interest
of
many
in
the
legal
community.
In
the
Perkins
case
alone
(the
oldest
of
the
cases),
23
amicus
briefs
have
been
filed
—
law
firms,
former
judges,
former
national
security
advisors,
solo
practitioners,
in-house
counsel,
law
professors,
media
organizations,
NGOs,
NAACP
Legal
Defense
fund,
bar
associations,
attorneys
general
have
all
signed
onto
briefs
that
support
the
challenge
to
the
EO.
Even
though
it’s
disappointing
many
Biglaw
firms
haven’t
answered
the
call,
there’s
still
overwhelming
support.
Despite
the
wide-ranging
amicus
in
the
Perkins
case,
as
the
cases
pile
up
there
are
even
more
folks
who
want
to
have
their
voices
heard.
The
law
firm
of
Kline
&
Specter is
circulating
a
draft
amicus
brief
in
the
Susman
Godfrey
case
on
behalf
of
law
students,
arguing,
“Unless
enjoined
by
the
Court,
the
orders
will
cause
enduring
damage
to
the
legal
profession
and
amici
as
America’s
future
lawyers.”
As
the
brief
says:
Left
alone,
the
executive
order
signals
a
transformation
of
our
legal
system.
The
rules
don’t
matter
anymore.
Neither
does
due
process.
What
matters
is
being
in
the
good
graces
of
those
in
power.
One
might
wonder
whether
law
even
will
matter
when
amici
graduate.
Which
begs
a
question:
If
law
doesn’t
matter,
why
should
anyone
become
a
lawyer
in
the
first
place?
Maybe
more
Biglaw
firms
should
listen
to
what
the
kids
are
saying.
Kathryn
Rubino
is
a
Senior
Editor
at
Above
the
Law,
host
of
The
Jabot
podcast,
and
co-host
of
Thinking
Like
A
Lawyer.
AtL
tipsters
are
the
best,
so
please
connect
with
her.
Feel
free
to
email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
or
comments
and
follow
her
on
Twitter
@Kathryn1 or
Mastodon
@[email protected].