At least eight of the nation’s top corporate law firms have joined the legal battles challenging the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump in recent weeks. These firms, which include WilmerHale, Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, and Arnold & Porter, have signed on to represent plaintiffs opposing Trump’s executive actions, many of which target issues such as illegal immigration and transgender rights.
These law firms, having previously opposed Trump’s policies during his first term—such as immigration restrictions on majority-Muslim countries—are now working alongside liberal advocacy groups and other challengers to contest Trump’s new directives, including his crackdown on illegal immigration, actions undermining transgender protections, the firing of key officials, and severe cuts to federal health research and foreign aid.
The involvement of these private law firms has drawn criticism from Elon Musk, a billionaire and ally of Trump, who voiced his discontent on his social media platform, X. In a post on Tuesday, Musk questioned which law firms were behind the “anti-democratic cases” that he claimed were impeding the will of the people, though he did not name any specific firms. WilmerHale, a firm representing plaintiffs in lawsuits against Trump’s administration, has previously provided legal services to Musk’s Tesla. Tesla has not yet commented on Musk’s post.
WilmerHale partner Seth Waxman, when approached, declined to discuss the firm’s involvement in the case due to attorney-client privilege. Other firms involved in the lawsuits either did not respond to inquiries or declined to comment on their participation or Musk’s remarks.
Despite Musk’s criticism, legal experts note that law firms are allowed to represent clients in pro bono cases, even if those clients may not share the firm’s stance on public policy issues. According to Stephen Gillers, a legal ethics scholar at New York University, law firms are not required to align all their clients’ interests with their cases, so long as no direct conflict arises. Many corporate law firms regularly take on public policy cases for free, especially when the litigation requires substantial legal resources.
Musk’s social media post, which reached his 217 million followers, underscores the political sensitivities surrounding these cases, especially during a divisive period in U.S. politics. Data from the Federal Election Commission reveals that law firm political action committees contributed approximately $3.7 million to Democratic candidates and $4.7 million to Republican candidates for the 2023-2024 election cycle. Firms with PACs tend to distribute donations between both parties, often favoring the party in power. For example, Arnold & Porter’s PAC donated $54,000 to Democrats and $80,000 to Republicans for the 2024 cycle.
Since regaining the presidency, Trump has moved swiftly to implement policies that restrict illegal immigration, dismantle diversity programs, reverse transgender protections, and assert greater control over federal spending and personnel. In response, more than 50 lawsuits have been filed by advocacy groups, Democratic state attorneys general, and other challengers. Eight large law firms are involved in 11 of these cases, with some smaller firms also participating.
Notable cases include Arnold & Porter’s lawsuit against Trump’s efforts to end birthright citizenship, Perkins Coie’s representation of plaintiffs challenging restrictions on transgender military service, and Jenner & Block’s involvement in litigation to restore research funding cuts.
Although many of the law firms that were active in lawsuits during Trump’s first term have not yet appeared in the new cases, Christopher Clark, a lawyer with Lambda Legal, an organization advocating for gay and transgender rights, expects that additional law firms will join the growing list as litigation continues. Clark noted, “Based on what we’ve seen so far, we’re going to be very, very busy.”
Read more:
