A federal judge blocked parts of President Trump's executive order that threatened Perkins Coie, a law firm representing Hillary Clinton. The executive order, deemed punitive, aimed to suspend security clearances and restrict government contracts with the firm. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the order likely violates the firm's First, Fifth, and Sixth amendment rights, highlighting the importance of legal advocacy even for unpopular causes. The judge warned the order creates broader chilling effects on legal representation across the profession, seen as an intimidation tactic against attorneys.
Our justice system is based on the fundamental belief that justice works best when all parties have zealous advocates. That fundamental promise extends to all parties, even those with unpopular ideas or beliefs or causes disliked by President Trump.
The potential adverse impact cannot be understated. The order casts a chilling harm of blizzard proportion across the entire legal profession, understood as an effort to intimidate attorneys and prevent them from advocating.
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