UPDATE 3-Trump expands clash with law firms with order against Perkins Coie

UPDATE 3-Trump expands clash with law firms with order against Perkins Coie U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order suspending security clearances for employees of law firm Perkins Coie and targeting the firm's business with federal contractors, citing its diversity practices and political activities. Seattle-founded Perkins Coie has long drawn criticism from Trump allies over its prior work for Trump's 2016 Democratic election opponent Hillary Clinton.The order also directed federal officials to investigate other "large, influential, or industry leading law firms" over their compliance with laws against racial discrimination. "This executive order will suspend security clearances and access to certain federal resources for that law firm and also launch a holistic review of unlawful DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) practices at some of the nation's largest law firms," Trump aide Will Scharf said during an Oval Office signing event with reporters.Trump said it was "an absolute honor to sign" the order. Perkins Coie in a statement said the executive order is "patently unlawful, and we intend to challenge it."Trump last week signed a similar order against another prominent law firm, Covington & Burling. In that order, security clearances were revoked for lawyers who provided free assistance to Jack Smith, the former U.S. special counsel who oversaw two criminal prosecutions against Trump. The president also directed federal agencies to review any contracts they have with Covington.The executive order targeting Perkins Coie went further, ordering agencies to require that federal contractors must disclose any business with the firm and saying contracts related to that business may be terminated. The order also said Perkins Coie employees' ability to access federal government buildings would be restricted to protect U.S. interests and national security."Their disrespect for the bedrock principle of equality represents good cause to conclude that they neither have access to our Nation’s secrets nor be deemed responsible stewards of any Federal funds," the order said. White House officials said federal agencies would refrain from hiring Perkins Coie employees "unless specifically authorized" and block business with contractors that work with Perkins Coie because of the firm's involvement in "partisan lawsuits against the United States."Perkins Coie and Covington are among nearly a dozen major U.S. law firms representing clients in lawsuits against the Trump administration, challenging executive actions related to immigration, transgender rights and other issues. Perkins is involved in two lawsuits against the Trump administration, including one in Seattle federal court that challenges the White House's move to restrict transgender people from serving in the military.DIVERSITY INITIATIVES A group headed by prominent anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum sued Perkins Coie in August 2023, alleging its diversity fellowships unlawfully excluded certain people based on their race.Perkins Coie changed the criteria for its fellowship program two months later and the suit was dropped. Legal scholars said they were not aware of a U.S. presidential administration ever taking such official actions against specific law firms in the past.Michael Frisch of Georgetown University's law school said it is a foundation of the legal profession that "everyone is entitled to a defense, and you don't judge a lawyer or law firm by the client that it chooses to legitimately and lawfully represent, and that's really under challenge right now." University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter, who served as associate White House counsel from 2005 to 2007, said he could see no direct connection between law firm diversity initiatives and risks to national security that would entail stripping a law firm's security clearances.Perkins Coie is widely known for its legal work for tech companies and other clients. It is defending Alphabet's Google against a lawsuit by the Republican National Committee accusing the tech giant of sending its emails to users' spam filters. The firm has represented Amazon in a number of court cases. The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Its work for Hillary Clinton's campaign led to criticisms from Trump supporters, including Elon Musk.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order suspending security clearances for employees of law firm Perkins Coie and targeting the firm's business with federal contractors, citing its diversity practices and political activities.

Seattle-founded Perkins Coie has long drawn criticism from Trump allies over its prior work for Trump's 2016 Democratic election opponent Hillary Clinton. The order also directed federal officials to investigate other "large, influential, or industry leading law firms" over their compliance with laws against racial discrimination. "This executive order will suspend security clearances and access to certain federal resources for that law firm and also launch a holistic review of unlawful DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) practices at some of the nation's largest law firms," Trump aide Will Scharf said during an Oval Office signing event with reporters.

Trump said it was "an absolute honor to sign" the order. Perkins Coie in a statement said the executive order is "patently unlawful, and we intend to challenge it." Trump last week signed a similar order against another prominent law firm, Covington & Burling.

In that order, security clearances were revoked for lawyers who provided free assistance to Jack Smith, the former U.S. special counsel who oversaw two criminal prosecutions against Trump.

The president also directed federal agencies to review any contracts they have with Covington. The executive order targeting Perkins Coie went further, ordering agencies to require that federal contractors must disclose any business with the firm and saying contracts related to that business may be terminated. The order also said Perkins Coie employees' ability to access federal government buildings would be restricted to protect U.

S. interests and national security. "Their disrespect for the bedrock principle of equality represents good cause to conclude that they neither have access to our Nation's secrets nor be deemed responsible stewards of any Federal funds," the order said.

White House officials said federal agencies would refrain from hiring Perkins Coie employees "unless specifically authorized" and block business with contractors that work with Perkins Coie because of the firm's involvement in "partisan lawsuits against the United States." Perkins Coie and Covington are among nearly a dozen major U.S.

law firms representing clients in lawsuits against the Trump administration, challenging executive actions related to immigration, transgender rights and other issues. Perkins is involved in two lawsuits against the Trump administration, including one in Seattle federal court that challenges the White House's move to restrict transgender people from serving in the military. DIVERSITY INITIATIVES A group headed by prominent anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum sued Perkins Coie in August 2023, alleging its diversity fellowships unlawfully excluded certain people based on their race.

Perkins Coie changed the criteria for its fellowship program two months later and the suit was dropped. Legal scholars said they were not aware of a U.S.

presidential administration ever taking such official actions against specific law firms in the past. Michael Frisch of Georgetown University's law school said it is a foundation of the legal profession that "everyone is entitled to a defense, and you don't judge a lawyer or law firm by the client that it chooses to legitimately and lawfully represent, and that's really under challenge right now." University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter, who served as associate White House counsel from 2005 to 2007, said he could see no direct connection between law firm diversity initiatives and risks to national security that would entail stripping a law firm's security clearances.

Perkins Coie is widely known for its legal work for tech companies and other clients. It is defending Alphabet's Google against a lawsuit by the Republican National Committee accusing the tech giant of sending its emails to users' spam filters. The firm has represented Amazon in a number of court cases.

The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Its work for Hillary Clinton's campaign led to criticisms from Trump supporters, including Elon Musk. (This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.

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