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Federal Government

3797 ABA Journal Federal Government articles.

Law firms refuse to represent Trump opponents in the wake of his attacks

President Donald Trump’s crackdown on lawyers is having a chilling effect on his opponents’ ability to defend themselves or challenge his actions in court, according to people who say they are struggling to find legal representation as a result of his challenges.

Mar 26, 2025 10:00 AM CDT

ABA, more than 50 bar associations condemn ‘government actions that seek to twist the scales of justice’

More than 50 state, local and specialty bar associations have joined with the ABA to “defend the rule of law and reject efforts to undermine the courts and the legal profession.”

Mar 26, 2025 9:43 AM CDT

Jenner & Block’s rehiring of lead Mueller prosecutor cited in executive order targeting firm

Jenner & Block has become the fourth BigLaw firm targeted by President Donald Trump in a punitive executive order.

Mar 26, 2025 9:16 AM CDT

Former Skadden associate says ABA inspired her letter asking BigLaw to push back on White House executive orders

A week ago, Rachel Cohen was a finance associate in the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She watched as the Trump administration issued several executive orders aimed at law firms and the legal industry and noted BigLaw’s muted response. Last week, Cohen also shared with Skadden a conditional notice of resignation unless the firm came up with a “satisfactory response to the current moment.”

Mar 25, 2025 12:28 PM CDT

Trump administration invokes state secrets privilege for deportation flights, disputes Nazi analogy

Government lawyers are arguing that the state secrets privilege protects the Trump administration from divulging details about deportation flights to El Salvador in Central America, and that the Venezuelans aboard weren’t entitled to notice that would give them time for a hearing.

Mar 25, 2025 11:02 AM CDT

As DOJ employees fear what comes next, alums form group to help

A career federal litigator who left the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division after President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January founded the Justice Connection, an organization that supports the department’s current and former employees.

Mar 25, 2025 8:48 AM CDT

Paul Weiss leader cites potential ‘existential crisis’ as 1 reason for Trump deal; critics include 141 firm alumni

An executive order targeting Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison “could easily have destroyed our firm,” the law firm’s chairman, Brad Karp, told employees in a March 23 statement defending the deal that he reached with President Donald Trump.

Mar 24, 2025 1:49 PM CDT

2 firms speak out after Trump seeks lawyer sanctions for ‘unreasonable and vexatious’ suits against US

Two law firms have issued statements criticizing President Donald Trump after he issued a memo late Friday calling for sanctions, ethics referrals and reassessment of security clearances against lawyers and firms that engage in “frivolous, unreasonable and vexatious litigation” against the United States.

Mar 24, 2025 11:20 AM CDT

EEOC chair requested ‘extensive’ info from law firms on DEI practices and hiring; did it cross a line?

Lawyers and legal experts are expressing concerns that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s recent request for comprehensive information about diversity, equity and inclusion-related employment practices at major law firms is not only invasive but also exceeds its authority.

Mar 20, 2025 1:13 PM CDT

Diversity references scrubbed from BigLaw websites amid DEI probes; informal guidance issued

BigLaw firms are scrubbing diversity mentions from their websites and reexamining policies amid the Trump administration’s attack on diversity, equity and inclusion programs that it considers to be illegal.

Mar 20, 2025 11:57 AM CDT

Meet the federal judge labeled ‘radical left lunatic’ by Trump, derided by DOJ for ‘micromanaged’ request

A federal judge facing President Donald Trump’s ire because of his rulings on deportation authority was once a housemate with Brett Kavanaugh, a future U.S. Supreme Court justice, at Yale Law School.

Mar 20, 2025 8:50 AM CDT

Judge orders DOGE to stop efforts to dismantle USAID

A federal judge in Maryland on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction blocking billionaire Elon Musk and the U.S. DOGE Service from taking any further actions to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Mar 18, 2025 5:00 PM CDT

Top DC prosecutor announces new election fraud unit, though authority and scope are unclear

The top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., is leading a new initiative to investigate election fraud cases.

Mar 18, 2025 2:12 PM CDT

Trump calls to impeach US judge, drawing rebuke from Roberts

President Donald Trump called Tuesday for the impeachment of a federal judge who had ruled against him, prompting the chief justice of the United States to issue a stern statement rejecting the idea and asserting the independence of the judiciary.

Mar 18, 2025 12:15 PM CDT

Trump administration can, for now, enforce orders targeting DEI, appeals court says

A federal appeals court said Friday the Trump administration can, for now, enforce two executive orders that target diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the federal government.

Mar 17, 2025 12:07 PM CDT

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