Law360 (March 12, 2025, 5:07 PM EDT) -- A D.C. federal court halted enforcement of the Trump administration's executive order targeting law firm Perkins Coie LLP over its representation of Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential run Wednesday, calling the order "viewpoint discrimination, plain and simple" and telling a government attorney that his arguments sent "chills" down her spine.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell temporarily restrained enforcement of the executive order just 24 hours after the law firm filed its complaint, with the judge saying that it violated the firm's right to free speech, association and due process, and warning that it would have "a chilling harm of blizzard proportions" on the legal profession if it were allowed to stand any longer.
Judge Howell called the executive order – which calls on federal agencies to terminate contracts with the firm's clients, deny access to federal buildings for the firm's employees and suspend security clearances for all of the firm's employees – an "instance of President Trump using taxpayer dollars" and legal resources to pursue a "personal vendetta." She said it was equivalent to a bill of attainder – a declaration of guilt without due process historically used by British monarchs.
"Advancing such political payback is not something in which the government has a compelling interest," Howell said.
The law firm brought its suit and request for a temporary restraining order Tuesday, claiming that it was already losing longtime clients and having meetings with federal employees cancelled as a result of the order.
www.bbc.com
www.law360.com
