The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an appeal on July 25, 2025, challenging a federal judge’s ruling that struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (WilmerHale). The order, issued on March 27, 2025, as Executive Order 14250, accused WilmerHale of “abusing its pro bono practice” and “undermining justice” through its legal work, including representing clients in election and immigration cases and its association with former Special Counsel Robert Mueller. It sought to suspend the firm’s security clearances, bar its lawyers from federal buildings, and terminate government contracts with the firm.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, on May 27, 2025, ruled the order unconstitutional, citing violations of the First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments, including free speech and due process protections. Leon described the order as a “staggering punishment” for WilmerHale’s protected speech and an attack on the independent judiciary, emphasizing that it retaliated against the firm for its client choices and legal advocacy. The ruling was the third in a series of judicial rejections of Trump’s orders targeting law firms, following similar decisions against orders aimed at Perkins Coie and Jenner & Block.
The DOJ’s appeal, filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, marks its third attempt to defend Trump’s executive orders against law firms, having previously appealed rulings favoring Perkins Coie and Jenner & Block. WilmerHale expressed confidence in prevailing, with a spokesperson stating the firm remains committed to defending its constitutional rights and those of its clients. The appeal reflects the Trump administration’s ongoing legal battle against prominent law firms perceived as adversaries, despite consistent judicial setbacks.