Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin is co-leading a coalition of 20 attorneys general in support of law firm Susman Godfrey in a legal challenge against a presidential executive order targeting the firm. The order, described as unconstitutional by Platkin, is said to retaliate against the firm's representation of clients involved in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
Attorney General Platkin declared, "Targeting law firms just because the President disagrees with their advocacy or dislikes their clients is outrageous and unconstitutional." He emphasized that these actions serve as intimidation tactics meant to dissuade lawyers from challenging the administration in court. Platkin asserted the coalition's commitment to supporting law firms against what he describes as an "abhorrent abuse of power."
Under former President Donald Trump, five executive orders were issued against law firms with disfavored advocacies or clients. These required federal officials to suspend security clearances of employees, refrain from engaging with these firms, and deny entry to federal buildings for their personnel. They also compelled federal contractors to disclose any business with the implicated firms. All four courts that reviewed these orders have issued temporary restraining orders to block them.
Susman Godfrey was named in one of these executive orders this April and has since obtained temporary injunctive relief. The firm is seeking a permanent block of the order. A federal judge, upon granting the temporary relief, commented, “The executive order is based on a personal vendetta against a particular firm. And, frankly, I think the framers of our Constitution would view it as a shocking abuse of power.”
The coalition, led by the attorneys general of Washington, New Jersey, Illinois, and Massachusetts, argues that a fair judicial system relies on lawyers' ability to take on controversial cases without the threat of governmental retribution. They warn that such orders could restrict residents' access to legal services, especially affecting those dependent on pro bono work.
Joining the effort are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The coalition emphasizes the detrimental impact these executive orders could have on potential clients seeking to vindicate their rights in court.
