The legal system is supposed to be a place where every person has the chance to be heard and to seek justice. I was reminded of that recently while trying a civil rights case in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. I represented an inmate who filed a Section 1983 claim against a corrections officer at SCI Phoenix, alleging that the officer failed to protect him in violation of the Eighth Amendment. My client was brutally attacked by two other inmates and left legally blind. While we didn’t win the case, the experience made clear just how vital it is to have the opportunity to bring these claims, to have our day in court, and to fight for the constitutional rights that define who we are as a country.
Right now in America, something important is at risk—not just for lawyers or judges, but for all of us. Since early 2025, several major law firms have been targeted by the federal government simply because of who they’ve represented, what causes they’ve supported, or who they’ve hired. These actions didn’t come after any wrongdoing or misconduct. They came as punishment for doing the work lawyers are supposed to do—standing up for people’s rights, defending the rule of law, and making sure everyone gets a fair shot in court.
Over the past few months, the President has signed a series of executive orders aimed at law firms that worked on cases he didn’t like or that were tied to investigations involving him. Some of the country’s most respected legal organizations suddenly found themselves banned from federal buildings, stripped of their security clearances, and cut off from federal contracts. Their only offense? Taking cases or hiring lawyers who were connected to investigations or issues the administration opposes.
This isn’t just about politics. It’s about whether we still live in a country where legal professionals can do their jobs without fear of being punished for it and upholding the constitution.
Why This Should Matter to Everyone
You don’t have to be a lawyer to care about what’s going on. The justice system affects real people every day—families facing deportation, voters whose rights are challenged, communities fighting for equal treatment. Many of the legal battles that shape our rights and freedoms are supported by law firms doing pro bono work. That means they’re taking on important cases for free, because they believe in access to justice.
But now, some of those same firms are backing away. Not because the cases aren’t important, but because they’re afraid. Afraid of losing government contracts and of being targeted. Afraid their employees could be blacklisted or attacked online. Consequently, the people who need legal help the most—the ones who can’t afford to fight on their own—get left behind.
What’s Happening to Law Firms
Covington & Burling gave free legal help to Special Counsel Jack Smith, who charged the President with interfering in the 2020 election. Now they’re being punished.
Perkins Coie helped with voting rights cases and was linked to research into the 2016 election. The administration attacked them for their diversity programs and tried to shut them out of government work.
Jenner & Block hired Andrew Weissmann, a prosecutor from the Mueller investigation. That decision triggered retaliation.
WilmerHale, which had ties to Mueller, was hit with penalties too.
Some firms have taken the administration to court—and they’ve won early battles. Judges have blocked parts of the executive orders, calling them unconstitutional. One judge even said it was a “shocking abuse of power.” But not all firms are fighting. A few chose to settle, agreeing to support causes favored by the administration just to stay in business.
That’s a dangerous precedent. It tells other firms that if you want to stay safe, avoid any case the government might not like. That mindset is already spreading. Civil rights groups have started hearing “no” from law firms that used to say “yes.”
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about a few law firms. It’s about whether our legal system still works the way it’s supposed to. The Constitution protects the right to free speech, the right to choose who you associate with, and the right to petition the government. That includes the right to file lawsuits—even if the government doesn’t like them.
Lawyers play a key role in holding power accountable. When they’re threatened or punished for taking certain cases, it becomes harder for anyone to challenge unfair laws or government overreach. And when law firms start backing away from tough or unpopular cases, our rights become harder to defend.
We’ve seen this kind of thing in other countries—governments cracking down on lawyers, judges, and legal organizations that push back. That’s not how it’s supposed to work in the United States.
Where the Legal Community Stands
A lot of lawyers and legal groups are speaking up. Organizations like the American Bar Association and the National Bar Association have pushed back. Law professors from major universities have warned that this kind of political targeting puts the whole legal system at risk.
This moment is about more than just winning court cases. It’s about standing up for the idea that everyone deserves a fair defense, and that lawyers shouldn’t have to worry about being punished for doing their jobs.
What We Can Do
The good news is, people are paying attention. Judges have issued rulings to block these executive orders. Some firms are standing their ground and fighting back in court. Legal groups across the country are organizing to protect judicial independence and legal rights.
But this isn’t something lawyers can solve alone. If you believe in fairness, if you care about equal rights, now’s the time to speak up. Talk about what’s happening. Support legal organizations doing good work. Pay attention to how power is being used—or misused.
Justice isn’t automatic. It takes people willing to defend it, even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when it’s risky.
The bottom line: the rule of law depends on lawyers being free to do their jobs.
That means defending unpopular clients. That means standing up to the government when necessary. And it means making sure that legal help isn’t only available to the powerful.
This moment is a test—not just for law firms, but for all of us. Do we want a system where legal decisions are based on fear and politics? Or do we want one where everyone gets a fair shot?
It’s not just about what’s legal. It’s about what’s right.
—Rebecca Langman, project manager for the firm, contributed to the preparation of this article.
Laurie Jubelirer is the owner of Jubelirer Law, and her law practice in Montgomery County is devoted to helping individuals facing criminal charges and violations of their civil rights. She is active in promoting criminal justice reform via writing and speaking, including appearances on podcasts and through her own podcast, “Voices of the System,” which recently launched in January 2026. She opened her law practice 13 years ago in 2013. Prior to opening the firm, she worked as a prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and as a Deputy Attorney General in the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. She is a staunch advocate for numerous incarcerated clients and an active member of Women Owned Law; the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Montgomery Bar Associations; and the Louis D. Brandeis Law Society.
