Jenner & Block Seeks Permanent Injunction Against Trump’s Executive Order

On April 28, 2025, Jenner & Block LLP, a leading U.S. law firm, is set to ask U.S. District Judge John Bates to permanently strike down a controversial executive order issued by President Donald Trump. The order sought to penalize the firm for its prior affiliation with Andrew Weissmann, a central figure in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference during the 2016 election.

The hearing will take place in Washington, D.C., at 10:30 a.m. ET (1430 GMT), marking a critical chapter in the escalating conflict between Trump’s administration and major law firms perceived to oppose him.

Why Jenner & Block Is Suing the Trump Administration

Jenner & Block filed suit shortly after Trump’s March 25 executive order, arguing that the order:

• Violates the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech and association.
• Breaches the Fifth Amendment, which guarantees due process before the government can restrict rights or impose penalties.

The firm contends that the administration’s actions amount to retaliation for protected legal activities and affiliations, setting a dangerous precedent for political interference in the independent practice of law.

Trump’s order specifically targeted Jenner over its past employment of Weissmann, accusing the firm of ties to what Trump continues to call a “hoax” and “witch hunt” regarding the Russia investigation.

What Trump’s Executive Order Against Jenner & Block Entails

The executive order aimed to:

• Restrict Jenner’s attorneys from accessing federal buildings and meeting with government officials.
• Terminate government contracts involving Jenner’s clients.
• Intimidate firms through threats of federal isolation and financial penalties.

This move was seen as part of Trump’s broader pressure campaign against lawyers and law firms connected to investigations or causes he opposes.

Other Law Firms Also Fighting Trump Executive Orders

Jenner & Block is not alone. At least three other major firms have filed similar lawsuits:

• WilmerHale
• Perkins Coie
• Susman Godfrey

Judges presiding over all four lawsuits have issued temporary injunctions, preventing the White House from enforcing key parts of the executive orders while the cases proceed.

Meanwhile, to avoid being targeted, nine other prominent law firms — including Paul Weiss, Milbank, Simpson Thacher, and Skadden Arps — have pledged nearly $1 billion in pro bono services to causes favored by the Trump administration.

(Read about law firms’ pro bono pledge here.)

The Broader Legal and Political Implications

Jenner & Block’s lawsuit goes beyond a mere business dispute. It raises urgent constitutional questions about:

• Government retaliation against private entities based on political affiliations.
• The erosion of the independence of the legal profession, traditionally protected from political pressure.
• The chilling effect on lawyers who represent unpopular or politically controversial clients.

The firm is also part of a larger coalition challenging the Trump administration’s policies affecting transgender rights and federal agency funding, indicating a growing legal resistance to executive overreach.

(Explore more about major corporate law firms suing the Trump administration.)

FAQs About Jenner & Block’s Lawsuit Against the Trump Administration

Q1: Why is Jenner & Block suing the Trump administration?
A: The firm argues that Trump’s executive order violates constitutional protections, punishing it for protected speech and affiliations related to the Russia investigation.

Q2: What was Jenner & Block’s connection to the Russia probe?
A: The firm previously employed Andrew Weissmann, who was a key prosecutor in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference.

Q3: What other law firms are involved in lawsuits against the Trump administration?
A: Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey have also filed suits to block executive orders targeting them.

Q4: What constitutional rights are at stake?
A: The First Amendment (free speech and association) and the Fifth Amendment (due process protections) are central to Jenner’s case.

Q5: How have other firms responded to Trump’s pressure?
A: Some firms pledged nearly $1 billion in pro bono services to causes supported by the Trump administration in exchange for avoiding executive order targeting.

The post Jenner & Block Moves to Permanently Bar Trump Executive Order in Landmark Free Speech Battle first appeared on JDJournal Blog.

Summary: The Justice Department indicted 12 Russians for interfering with the 2016 Presidential election.

The Justice Department special investigation into the election has resulted in a federal grand jury indicting 12 Russian nationals for interfering with the 2016 Presidential election, according to CNN. The Russian intelligence officers are accused of hacking into emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic Party during the election, according to Fox News.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said at a press conference announcing the indictments, “The internet allows foreign adversaries to attack America in new and unexpected ways.” He added, “There is no allegation in this indictment that any American citizen committed a crime. There is no allegation that the conspiracy altered the vote count or changed any election result.”

The Russian nationals are members of GRU, Russia’s intelligence agency. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been investigating the influence Russia had, if any, into the election.

President Donald Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday for a summit. Democrats are calling for Trump to cancel the meeting due to the missteps Russia took by hacking into private emails and releasing allegedly embarrassing and politically harmful conversations through the personas “DCLeaks” and “Guccifer 2.0.”

Deputy White House press secretary Lindsay Walters countered, “Today’s charges include no allegations of knowing involvement by anyone on the campaign and no allegations that the alleged hacking affected the election result. This is consistent with what we have been saying all along.”

Eleven of the Russians are charged with conspiracy to commit computer crime, conspiracy to launder money and aggravated identity theft. A separate defendant has an additional conspiracy to commit computer crimes charge.

The indictment papers claim that the Russian agents started in March 2016 using “a variety of means to hack the email accounts of volunteers and employees” of Clinton’s campaign. Her chairman, John Podesta, must have been an easy hit since his emails were leaked during the campaign. Campaign committees were also targeted by the group, including the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. It read, “The conspirators covertly monitored the computers of dozens of DCCC and DNC employees, implanted hundreds of files containing malicious computer code and stole emails and other documents from the DCCC and DNC.”

By April 2016, the group started releasing the information they were able to hack.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats explained that while this kind of electoral interference has not happened in the midterms, history could easily repeat itself. He said, “In regards to state actions, Russia has been the most aggressive foreign actor. No question. We are not yet seeing the kind of electoral interference in specific states and voter databases that we experienced in 2016. However, we fully realize that we are just one click away … from a similar situation repeating itself.”

Oleksandr Danylyuk, Center for Defense Reforms in Ukraine chair, added that journalists are key in preventing this from happening again. He said, “Much of the kompromat will be provided by Russian proxies directly to American politicians and journalists. They must fight the temptations to use this information without checking its reality.”

Do you think journalists need to work harder to check their facts before printing? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

To learn more about the progress of the investigation, read these articles:

• 13 Russian Nationals Indicted for Interference in US Election
• Former National Security Adviser’s Son Latest Target of Russia Investigation
• House Republicans Clear Trump of Collusion with Russia in Report

Photo: en.kremlin.ru

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Summary:  Stormy Daniels’ attorney believes that Squire Patton Boggs used Michael Cohen for his access to President Trump, and thus needs to be investigated.

Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti continues to create drama, now calling into question the integrity of a prestigious Washington D.C. law firm. The porn star has accused President Donald Trump and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen of misconduct regarding her sexual relationship with Trump years ago.

Avenatti suggested during an interview on AM Joy, an MSNBC show, that special counsel Robert Mueller needs to investigate, as part of the Russia probe, Squire Patton Boggs. The law firm allegedly met with Cohen, according to Newsweek.

Avenatti said, “Shortly after the election, Michael Cohen forms a relationship with a very-well known law firm in Washington, D.C., by the name of Patton Boggs. And Patton Boggs has a long history of lobbying and being involved between companies and the U.S. government, that’s a very unusual relationship to have been formed right after the election.”

Avenatti questions why a “reputable law firm” would get together with Cohen. “What did Michael Cohen sell to Patton Boggs at it related to the idea that they were going to allow Michael Cohen come to the law firm? It’s clear to me what he sold them. What he sold them was a book of clients, a book of corporations or individuals that had already retained him for access to the U.S. president,” Avenatti added.

He concluded in the interview, “That needs to be the next inquiry, what did Patton Boggs know, and when did they know it? Did they know that Michael Cohen was lobbying? Did they not know it?”

Avenatti goes on to warn others that have had contact with Cohen in a tweet. He wrote, “If you’re out there and you have stuff related to your relationships with #MichaelCohen that you’re concerned are going to come out you should be concerned because they are going to come out… that’s a stern warning this #SaturdayMorning #AMJoy.”

Do you think Avenatti is looking to dig up stories that don’t exist or do you think he has actual facts to back up his claims? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

To learn more about Squire Patton Boggs, read these articles:

• Boggs to Leave Squire Patton Boggs and Join Manatt Phelps & Phillips
• Squire Patton Boggs Announces Leadership Team for Public Policy Practice
• Squire Patton Boggs Combines with Mamiya Law Offices

Photo: kpsworld.com

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Summary: Alex van der Zwaan, a former associate at Skadden Arps, is accused of lying to the FBI about his communications and work related to the Russia investigation.

A former Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP associate has been accused of lying to federal authorities by special counsel Robert Mueller. Alex van der Zwaan is married to the daughter of Russian oligarch German Khan.

Van der Zwaan allegedly lied to the FBI about possible links between Russia and the Trump campaign. Mueller claims that van der Zwaan made false or misleading statements regarding the email communications between Richard Gates, a former Trump campaign official and an associate of former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort.

Van der Zwaan was a London-based lawyer for Skadden Arps when he was working on a report seeking the justification to incarcerate a political opponent of Manafort’s client, then-Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych.

Khan is currently suing private research firm Fusion GPS for a dossier claiming ties between President Donald Trump and Russia. The firm’s famous dossier was created by former British spy Christopher Steele. Two other Russian investors with Alfa Bank are suing Fusion for libel, alleging damage to their reputations because of the dossier.

The charges against van der Zwaan came the same day Mueller released the indictment against 13 Russian nationals. He was officially “charged Friday by an instrument known as an information, which is typically used by prosecutors when their target has already agreed to plead guilty,” according to CNBC. He is expected in U.S. District Court in Washington Tuesday.

He is accused of lying about his final communications with Gates around mid-August 2016 and communication with someone identified as “Person A” in 2014. The communications with Gates consisted of “an innocuous text message” while van der Zwaan talked with Person A about their family. When he was asked about the conversations he claimed to “not know why an email between him and Person A in September 2016 was not produced to the Special Counsel’s Office.” The emails were allegedly deleted by van der Zwaan.

Skadden stated to CNBC, “The firm terminated its employment of Alex van der Zwaan in 2017 and has been cooperating with authorities in connection with this matter.”

Multiple sources have covered Skadden Arps involvement in Ukrainian business. Manafort arranged for the law firm to put together a report for Ukraine’s Yanukovych associates to use so they could defend the incarceration of Ukrainian nationalist Tymoshenko. Skadden Arps has since refunded the Ukrainian government $567,000, about half of which the law firm was paid for its work. Skadden claimed the money was being held in “escrow for future work” but the Kyiv Post said, “the transfer only came after the Ukrainian government sent the U.S. Justice Department a letter requesting the repayment.”

Gates and Manafort have previously been charged by Mueller on 12 counts, including alleged money laundering and making misleading statements on finances and previous work. Gates is expected to enter a guilty plea for the fraud charges and may even testify against Manafort.

Manafort’s daughter Andrea Manafort Shand is also a former employee of Skadden Arps.

Do you think Skadden Arps was involved in anything inappropriate regarding their work for Manafort and Ukraine? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

To learn more about the Russian investigation, read these articles:

• Top Official Says Russia Hacked U.S. Voter Systems
• 13 Russian Nationals Indicted for Interference in US Election
• Russia Denies Interfering in US Election

Source: CNBC

Photo: legalbusiness.co.uk

The post Former Skadden Arps Associate Charged with Lying to FBI first appeared on JDJournal Blog.

Summary: The Russia investigation has added another person to focus on, trying to find evidence of a Russian involvement in the election.

The son of President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser is being investigated for Russia connections. Michael G. Flynn is being investigated for an involvement in possible Russian meddling in the presidential election and potential involvement between the Trump campaign and Moscow. Four current and former government officials claim he was involved.

Flynn was involved with his father’s lobbying firm, Flynn Intel Group, and is the focus of the investigation. Barry Coburn is representing the younger Flynn. He is a target because of his father’s connection to foreign governments, especially Russia and Turkey. Flynn worked closely with his father during many trips, including one to Moscow where his father delivered a paid speech at a gala for the state-sponsored television network RT. The trip was in December of 2015.

RT paid the airfare for Flynn and his father to attend the gala and stay in a luxury hotel for three nights. House Oversight Committee records show that the elder Flynn was paid $34,000 for the speech. He was seated at the same table as Russian President Vladimir Putin for the dinner. The elder Flynn is a retired Army lieutenant general and former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

The elder Flynn was hired by a Turkish businessman in 2016 to investigate a Turkish cleric living in Pennsylvania that was accused by the Turkish government of orchestrating a coup in July 2016. He was not registered as a foreign lobbyist at the time but made changes to that this year to include last year’s work. His firm was paid $530,000 by the Justice Department last year for its work with the Turkish government.

The elder Flynn was fired from his position at the White House in February when it became clear that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with a Russian ambassador. The younger Flynn acted as the chief of staff at his father’s company, attending meetings with his father and working with prospective clients.

Others that have been investigated include Flynn’ father and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Others seen as potential targets by special counsel Robert Mueller include Carter Page, a Trump campaign ally, the President’s son Donald Trump Jr., and the President’s son-in-law and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner.

It is anticipated that Trump Jr. will be called before the Senate Judiciary committee in the next few months. All those accused have denied any involvement with Russia during the campaign.

Legal experts believe Mueller is trying to find someone that can tell him about any possible Trump campaign connections with Russia. By putting criminal liability on the younger Flynn, his father may feel compelled to hand over information. As former federal prosecutor Peter Smith explained, “Any time a family member is identified as a subject that does increase pressure. In the typical parent-child relationship, the last thing any parent would want is for their child to get in trouble for something they initiated.”

The younger Flynn has an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and an associate’s degree in golf course management. He was a controversial figure during the election for his inflammatory comments on Twitter. He supported the “pizzagate” scandal and other conspiracy theories.

Do you think the Russia investigation is almost like a modern day witch hunt? Tell us in the comments below.

To learn more about the pizzagate conspiracy theory and others like it, read these articles:

• Four Year Prison Sentence for ‘Pizzagate’ Shooter
• Lawsuit Claims Fox News and White House Supported Fake Seth Rich Story
• Rush Limbaugh Claims Conspiracy by Obama in Forecasting of Isaac

Photo: twitter.com

The post Former National Security Adviser's Son Latest Target of Russia Investigation first appeared on JDJournal Blog.

Summary: A legal team of 13 has been gathered so far to investigate any ties Russia had to the presidential election.

In just one month since Robert Mueller was appointed by deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein to oversee the Department of Justice investigation, he has made bold moves in putting together a team of experienced attorneys. As Mueller said, “I accept this responsibility and will discharge it to the best of my ability.” At least 13 lawyers have joined a legal team led by special counsel Mueller to tackle the Russia investigation, according to spokesman Peter Carr. They are already plans in the works to hire more.

The high-profile team of leading investigators and experts includes a number of well-seasoned attorneys that have taken on other top cases such as Watergate and the Enron fraud scandal. Mueller brought Jeannie Rhee, Aaron Zebley and James Quarles from his old firm WilmerHale. Another attorney on the team was the leader of the Enron investigation, Andrew Weissman. Former independent counsel Kenneth Starr noted, “This is a great, great team of complete professionals, so let’s let him do his job.”

One concern regarding the team is their political leanings. Even though only five of the 13 have been identified so far, three of them – Rhee, Quarles, and Weissman – lean heavily to the Democrat side. A CNN analysis of Federal Election Commission records indicates that the three have contributed a total of over $53,000 since 1988 to those in the Democratic Party. Newt Gingrich blasted the team on Good Morning America, “These are bad people. I’m dubious of the team.”

Zebley, a former FBI agent, has spent time flying the globe to hunt down terrorists in addition to his work at WilmerHale. Quarles is recognized as the assistant special prosecutor during the Watergate investigation who specialized in campaign finance research for the task force. Not only does Weissman have experience from the Enron scandal, he also served as FBI general counsel and leading adviser for the Justice Department’s fraud unit. Rhee will likely help guide the investigation through the bureaucracy by using her experience as deputy assistant attorney general. Another member of the team, Michael Dreeben, has worked for the Justice Department’s solicitor general’s office for a number of years.

The Russia investigation will include interviews and other evidence to determine what role Russia had, if any, in last year’s election. They are also looking into whether President Donald Trump attempted to obstruct justice. Trump may have attempted to obstruct justice when he reportedly urged former FBI Director James Comey to throw out any investigation into Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn. The firing of Comey may also be a part of the obstruction of justice allegation.

The Washington Post first reported that Trump was being investigated for obstructing justice. A spokesman for Marc Kasowitz, Trump’s outside attorney, called the Post article irresponsible. “The FBI leak of information regarding the President is outrageous, inexcusable and illegal.”

No matter what the team uncovers, it will be up to Mueller to decide if charges should be recommended.

How much do you think this legal team is going to cost? Tell us your prediction in the comments below.

To learn more about the Russia investigation, read these articles:

• Trump Campaign Allegedly in Contact with Russians 18 Times in 2016
• Key Official Who Was Investigating Trump’s Ties to Russia Departing DOJ
• Steve Bannon to Head Russia “War Room” Legal Team

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

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Summary: Vice President Mike Pence is taking moves to protect himself by retaining his own lawyer during the Russia investigation.

With the special counsel investigation and congressional inquiries into Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election beginning, everyone is looking for ways to protect themselves. Even Vice President Mike Pence has hired a lawyer to represent him during the investigation.

Former Virginia attorney general and chairman of McGuireWoods, Richard Cullen, will represent Pence. Pence had interviewed a number of attorneys before deciding on the former U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Virginia. Pence has been moving to find his own lawyer for weeks, according to his aides. This move is not surprising considering that President Donald Trump has been building his own legal team of outside lawyers to represent him through the investigations.

The vice president’s communications director Jarrod Agen said, “I can confirm that the Vice President has retained Richard Cullen of McGuireWoods to assist him in responding to inquiries by the special counsel. The vice president is focused entirely on his duties and promoting the President’s agenda and looks forward to a swift conclusion of this matter.”

The announcement comes a day after Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller announced he is investigating Trump for obstruction of justice. Mueller will be interviewing three top intelligence officials as part of the investigation. They will be National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and retired deputy NSA director Richard Ledgett.

Of course, Trump had something to say on his Twitter, “They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice.”

Pence has stood by Trump, stating there are no ties to Russia. He said in May, “As has been stated repeatedly and the President has been told, he’s not under investigation. There is no evidence of collusion between our campaign and any Russian officials.” After the election, Pence served as head of the transition team but has received criticism for not knowing a number of things that happened during the transition. One source said Pence was focused with Senate-confirmable personnel. They said, “The primary focus for Pence was Cabinet level, as the President had selected his senior staff.”

Pence advisers and staff are also concerned about being drug into the investigation. One senior administration adviser told CNN, “You just worry about some meeting or call that you were at and don’t recall even innocuous in nature, and then you get pounced on.”

Pence plans to pay for his personal lawyer with “non-taxpayer funds.” This means he will use a campaign fund of some kind to foot the bill. He just opened a leadership PAC, the Great American Committee that he plans to fundraise for Friday night. Other funds include Trump-Pence re-election committee or Republican National Committee funds.

Cullen’s other high-profile clients include Tom DeLay, the former Republican majority leader investigated by the Justice Department for connections with lobbyist Jack Abramoff. He also represented Tiger Woods ex-wife Elin Nordegren through their divorce and former Senator Paul Trible in the Iran-contra investigation.

Do you think Pence has any connection to Russia? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

To learn more about the Russia investigations, read these articles:

• Key Official Who Was Investigating Trump’s Ties to Russia Departing DOJ
• Trump Campaign Allegedly in Contact with Russians 18 Times in 2016
• Steve Bannon to Head Russia “War Room” Legal Team

Photo: flickr.com

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Summary: President Donald Trump has selected an FBI director replacement for James Comey from slim-pickings.

Former Federal Bureau of Investigation chief James Comey has finally been replaced. After a month-long search for someone to take over the position, President Donald Trump announced his pick Wednesday. Christopher Wray, who has defended and prosecuted white-collar crimes, including the representation of New Jersey’s governor through a political scandal.

The Trump administration has not had an easy time of finding a replacement for Comey. Top candidates like former Senator Joe Lieberman removed their names from consideration, resulting in a lot of interviews by Trump with other contenders.

Trump calls Wray an “impeccably qualified individual” and “a fierce guardian of the law and model of integrity.” He served from 2003 to 2005 at the Justice Department. There he was an assistant attorney general, responsible for the criminal division.

The announcement comes just a day after Comey delivered his public testimony to a Senate committee. In the written testimony given to the panel, Comey claims that Trump told him he expected “loyalty” and then asked him to back away from investigating former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s connections to Russia. The reason for Comey’s termination has mixed reasons provided by the White House. Trump admits the “Russia thing” was a factor in Comey’s dismissal.

The Senate must confirm Wray before he can officially become the director of the FBI.  Comey and Wray worked together at the Justice Department under former President George Bush. There they worked on the government case for the Enron Corp fraud scandal in the early 2000s against Kenneth Lay. Lay was convicted in 2006. Others involved in the case include Robert Mueller and Andrew Weissman. Mueller was the FBI director at the time of the case and now appointed as special counsel since Comey’s firing, Weissman is working with Mueller.

The criticism Trump is receiving over his pick of Wray involves his vow to rid Washington of elite groups of corporate lawyers. Wray is a perfect example of one a corporate lawyer that has had experiences that present conflicts-of-interest issues. Wray represented Gov. Chris Christie during the Bridgegate scandal, an alleged event where Christie directed the closure of a bridge to cause traffic jams as a political punishment against a local mayor. Two of Christie’s aides were convicted but Christie was never charged.

American Civil Liberties Union National Political Director Faiz Shakir said, “Christopher Wray’s firm’s legal work for the Trump family, his history of partisan activity, as well as his history of defending Trump’s transition director during a criminal scandal makes us question his ability to lead the FBI.”

Do you think Wray will be able to be a fair FBI director or are his alliances too strong? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

To learn more about the Bridgegate scandal, read these articles:

• Chris Christie’s Misconduct May Cost Him 10 Years in Prison
• Gibson Dunn Subpoenaed for Computer Data of the Investigation into Bridgegate
• Law Firm Hired to Investigate Bridgegate Scandal Criticized by Judge

Photo: usatoday.com

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Summary: As President Trump prepares to build a legal team to tackle the Russia investigations, he is struggling to find any lawyers willing to join his team.

Top lawyers from at least four major law firm have turned down offers from the White House to represent President Trump during the Russia investigations. Sources indicate that the lawyers are concerned that the President would not be willing to listen to any advice given to him.

The Trump administration is facing complications due to the fact that some of the country’s best attorneys are not willing to represent the president. The administration is trying to put together a coherent defense strategy to handle the accusations and investigations into any misconduct regarding Russia. There are currently four congressional committees and Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller looking into the president and his administration.

The president has chief lawyer Marc. E. Kasowitz covering for him now but Kasowitz has very little experience with complex congressional and Justice Department investigations involving media coverage and public opinion. He excels in business and public relation disputes where he can use an aggressive approach filled with threats of countersuits.

This is not the first time top law firms and their attorneys have turned down the opportunity of representing the President. Before the Trump administration was able to secure Kasowitz, they had several rejections to deal with before finding the winner. According to a source, Kasowitz is working to improve his ability to take on other cases besides the typical ones he has undertaken for Trump in the past such at the lawsuit involving Trump University and his divorce proceedings. The source reports that Kasowitz has reached out to legal veterans in Washington to gain ideas and suggestions on how to build a defense strategy such as when the right time is to release information publicly.

Some of those reported to have turned down the president include Robert Giuffra of Sullivan & Cromwell, Brendan Sullivan of Williams & Connolly, Mark Filip and Paul Clement of Kirkland & Ellis, and Ted Olson of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. The reasons for their rejections ranged from previous engagements that would be time conflicts to conflicts with current clients like financial institutions to an obvious lack of cooperation from the president to refrain from public statements and Tweets.

As one source close to the White House stated, “The concerns were, ‘The guy won’t pay and he won’t listen.’” That lawyer continued to explain that the firms were afraid that a public association from working with the president would “kill recruitment” efforts as well as harm their relationships with current clients.

Another source said that issue arose for the firms and their lawyers that “Do I want to be associated with this president and his policies?” in addition to the issues of “Who’s in charge?” and “Would he listen?”

The White House has been discreetly looking for an outside legal team for several weeks when the firing of FBI Director James Comey occurred. Those involved in the search include White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, White House counsel Don McGahn and senior counselor Kellyanne Conway. There have been a few instances where meetings or phone calls including the president have happened but nothing yet has come of them.

Are you surprised that no one wants to be Trump’s lawyer? Tell us in the comments below.

To learn more about Trump’s legal issues, read these articles:

• Donald Trump Wants Immunity from Apprentice Contestant’s Defamation Lawsuit
• Trump Signs Religious Liberty Executive Order
• Trump Hints at Secret Tapes of Conversations with Comey
• Steve Bannon to Head Russia “War Room” Legal Team

Photo: wikipedia.org

The post Lawyers Keep Turning Down Chance to Be President Trump’s Attorney first appeared on JDJournal Blog.