New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, together with 20 other state attorneys general, has issued an open letter in support of law firms opposing President Trump's recent actions. The letter criticizes what the coalition describes as Trump's unconstitutional efforts targeting law firms that the administration disfavors.
Attorney General Platkin, alongside colleagues from Delaware, Colorado, and Illinois, issued the letter amid claims that the Trump Administration is using executive orders to compel law firms into agreements that align with its interests, including the provision of free legal services. According to the attorneys general, these actions undermine legal justice.
“The President’s unconstitutional attempts to target lawyers and law firms pose a grave threat to the rule of law. That’s why I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the law firms that have fought back against these threats instead of surrendering to the President’s unlawful demands,” Platkin stated. He also emphasized the damage that such deals inflict on the legal profession and rule of law, urging firms to resist such pressures.
The project's letter argues that Trump's executive orders, which purportedly retaliate against lawyers for their advocacy, notably infringe on constitutionality, violate due process norms, and erode the rule of law, potentially setting an authoritarian precedent.
Four law firms—Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey—are highlighted for taking legal action against the executive orders, securing temporary court orders against these measures. The coalition, led by Platkin, has also supported these efforts through amicus briefs in collaboration with multiple states.
Additionally, the letter appeals to other legal practitioners to join the legal efforts opposing these executive orders, in partnership with various law firms, legal supporters, and academics, warning against the path of compliance taken by some larger firms.
This initiative includes the involvement of the Attorneys General from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, and others, illustrating a broad collective effort to maintain legal integrity and oppose measures perceived as politically motivated attacks on legal freedoms.
