BigLaw Bows or Curtsys to the President
Amazing how many BigLaw firms are bending a knee to King Trump of the kingdom of United States. These are the same people who will spare no politeness in making it known you as a problem will be the center target of their legal solution. Rude is probably too simple a word to use in describing them.
Here we have Trump using whatever he can to target them. Nobody in the Federal Government answers him. No comments by Senators, judges, or SCOTUS. It just happens and everyone walks away.
Another Firm Targeted by Trump, Looking to Amass $1 Billion War Chest from Biglaw, Above the Law
Today, Donald Trump signed a likely unconstitutional Executive Order targeting elite litigation firm Susman Godfrey. Similar to the other EOs aimed at Biglaw, the order purports to strip Susman attorneys of access to federal buildings, amongst other provisions.
But even more chilling than the EO itself were comments made during the signing. Trump revealed he’s targeting “another five” firms.
Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller boasted about the deals a number of Biglaw firms have inked with the administration to get themselves out of the Trump doghouse. So far, the announced deals (from Paul Weiss, Skadden, Milbank, and Willkie) have included $340 million in pro bono payola. But Miller estimated the value at $600 to $700 million, which sure seems to hint that more firms are willing to bend the knee. Adding . . .
“The numbers are adding up. We’re going to be close to a billion soon.”
So . . . why has Susman caught the attention of Trump? Well, Miller said, “This firm is very involved in the election misconduct.” Which, is misleading at best. But Susman Godfrey represented Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation case against Fox News, collecting a hefty contingency fee from the $787.5 million settlement that rocketed the firm up the Biglaw rankings by a variety of measures. Plus Susman has been active in the Perkins Coie case challenging the EO against that firm — they signed the law firm amicus brief and are repping the bipartisan group of former senior national security, foreign policy, intelligence, and other public officials that also filed an amicus.
An UPDATE: A spokesperson from the firm provided this statement:
“Anyone who knows Susman Godfrey knows we believe in the rule of law, and we take seriously our duty to uphold it. This principle guides us now. There is no question that we will fight this unconstitutional order.”
For the firms capitulating to Trump, it’s all about money. They’re afraid of losing clients who they think want them to be on good terms with the government.
Jack:
I understand it. We were fortunate to get Erwin to take over.
The University President Willing to Fight Trump,
Arne:
I can not get into The Times to read the article. Others may be at a loss also. Perhaps you can do a C&P of the important parts? Meanwhile, The Atlantic in March had a piece as written by Eisgruber. Just one part of it:
“federal funding helped make American universities the world’s best, but it also created a huge risk. Universities had acquired a public patron more powerful than any private donor; their budgets became heavily dependent on that single source. If the United States government ever repudiated the principle of academic freedom, it could bully universities by threatening to withdraw funding unless they changed their curricula, research programs, and personnel decisions.”
I believe the rest of it can be accessed at The Atlantic: The Cost of the Government’s Attack on Columbia. I subscribe to The Atlantic also. If need be I can post it. It is weeks old.
A link to the podcast on YouTube: The University President Willing to Fight Trump,
@Bill,
The attacks on universities by the Trump Administration are a manifestation of antisemitism. Don’t take my word for it. Here’s Prof. Timothy Snyder, an expert on fascism and antisemitism. Fomenting Antisemitism