US Justice Department Files Appeal in Wilmer Executive Order Case

The U.S. Justice Department filed an appeal on July 25, 2025, challenging a federal judge’s ruling that struck down an executive order targeting the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (WilmerHale). This marks the third appeal by the DOJ in a series of lawsuits against Trump administration executive orders aimed at major law firms, following appeals in cases involving Perkins Coie and Jenner & Block. The executive order, issued on March 27, 2025, sought to suspend security clearances for WilmerHale attorneys, restrict their access to federal buildings, and terminate government contracts with the firm, citing its association with former Special Counsel Robert Mueller and its legal work in election and immigration cases. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled the order unconstitutional on May 27, 2025, arguing it violated First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment rights and the separation of powers, describing it as a “staggering punishment” for the firm’s protected speech. WilmerHale expressed confidence in prevailing in the appeal, with the case now moving to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.