Trump Administration Drops Law Firm Suits After Judges Find Orders Unconstitutional
Source: NBC News Date: March 2, 2026 URL: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/doj-drops-suits-law-firms-judges-find-executive-orders-unconstitutiona-rcna261434 Relevance: Primary breaking news source on the DOJ dropping all four appeals. Contains the Vanita Gupta quote that perfectly captures the "resistance works" thesis, plus key firm statements.
Key Content
The Justice Department voluntarily dismissed appeals defending Trump's executive orders targeting four major law firms on Monday, March 2, 2026. The move concedes to unanimous federal judge rulings that found the orders violated the First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments.
The four firms that fought and won: Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Susman Godfrey, and Jenner & Block.
Why each firm was targeted:
- Perkins Coie: Represented Hillary Clinton in 2016 and hired the research firm that retained Christopher Steele (Steele Dossier)
- WilmerHale: Employed Robert Mueller before and after his investigation of Russian interference in 2016
- Jenner & Block: Previously employed Andrew Weissmann, a prominent Trump critic who worked on Mueller's probe
- Susman Godfrey: Represented Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation lawsuit against Fox News
The orders sought to strip security clearances, government contracts, and building access from all four firms.
In contrast, Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps reached settlement deals, agreeing to provide millions in pro bono work and eliminate diversity programs -- generating significant legal community backlash.
Notable Quotes
Vanita Gupta (former DOJ #3 official under Biden): "This episode will be remembered as demonstrating the difference between institutions that had the ethical courage to uphold the Constitution and fight bullying and then won, and those that compromised their ethics and gained nothing."
WilmerHale: "As we said from the outset, our challenge to the unlawful Executive Order was about defending our clients' constitutional right to retain counsel of their choosing."
Jenner & Block: The administration's move makes the judges' earlier rulings "permanent" -- establishing lasting precedent that such orders are unconstitutional.
Key Data Points
- Four separate federal judges -- appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents -- unanimously found the orders unconstitutional
- Orders violated First Amendment (free speech/association), Fifth Amendment (due process), and Sixth Amendment (right to counsel)
- Nine other firms negotiated settlements yielding "hundreds of millions of dollars in free legal services" to the White House