KQED's Forum To Fold or Fight: Law Firms Weigh Risks of Trump Resistance
Apr 3, 2025
Lori Carr Mims, managing partner at Keker Van Nest & Peters, shares insights on representing asylum seekers while combating the Trump administration's tactics. Investigative reporter Jessica Silver-Greenberg discusses how law firms are pressured under executive orders, raising constitutional alarm. Former associate Rachel Cohen reveals her protest against the collaboration of Skadden with Trump, highlighting internal dissent within firms. Professor Raymond Brescia analyzes the broader implications for democracy and the legal profession's integrity in these trying times.
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Impact of Concessions
- Law firms' concessions to Trump's demands set a negative precedent for citizens' rights.
- If lawyers won't fight for their rights, ordinary citizens may lose faith in using courts to protect theirs.
Public Importance
- The public should care about intimidation against lawyers because it threatens the balance of power.
- Lawyers and the judicial branch are checks on executive power; if they're weakened, everyone's rights are at risk.
Paul Weiss Targeted
- Paul Weiss's targeting stemmed from their aggressive litigation against Trump's policies, including the Muslim ban.
- They mobilized lawyers, offering support at airports, solidifying their stance against the administration.
