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The order was the latest ruling to reject Trump's efforts to
punish law firms for legal work he does not like and for
employing attorneys he perceives as his adversaries. Susman
Godfrey suggested that it had drawn Trump's ire at least in part
because it represented Dominion Voting Systems in the voting
machine company's defamation lawsuit against Fox News over false
claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election. The suit
ended in a massive settlement.
Other judges in recent weeks have blocked similar orders against
the firms of Jenner & Block, Perkins Coie and WilmerHale. The
orders have sought to impose similar sanctions, including the
suspension of security clearances of attorneys and the
restriction of access to federal buildings.
“The order was one in a series attacking firms that had taken
positions with which President Trump disagreed. In the ensuing
months, every court to have considered a challenge to one of
these orders has found grave constitutional violations and
permanently enjoined enforcement of the order in full," AliKhan
wrote. “Today, this court follows suit, concluding that the
order targeting Susman violates the U.S. Constitution and must
be permanently enjoined.”
In a statement, the firm called the ruling “a resounding victory
for the rule of law and the right of every American to be
represented by legal counsel without fear of retaliation.”
“We applaud the Court for declaring the administration’s order
unconstitutional. Our firm is committed to the rule of law and
to protecting the rights of our clients without regard to their
political or other beliefs. Susman Godfrey’s lawyers and staff
live these values every day,” the statement said.
Other major firms have sought to avert orders by preemptively
reaching settlements that require them, among other things, to
collectively dedicate hundreds of millions of dollars in free
legal services in support of causes the Trump administration
says it supports.
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