Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford has joined an open letter addressed to the legal community, supporting law firms that have opposed President Trump's actions against certain legal practices. The letter criticizes the response of some major law firms to what it describes as threats to the rule of law.
The issue arises from executive orders issued by President Trump, which target several law firms for their advocacy efforts. Some large law firms have reportedly made agreements with the administration to provide free legal services in support of its priorities.
"At the core of our nation’s legal system are the ideas of independence; the right to due process; and freedoms to express different beliefs and viewpoints,” said AG Ford. “The Trump administration’s attack on law firms it deems the enemy is fundamentally un-American and shows a complete disregard for the principles that are needed to ensure our legal system works as the founders intended."
The coalition's letter argues that these executive orders violate constitutional rights by retaliating against lawyers based on protected speech and association while discriminating based on viewpoint. It states that such actions undermine due process and threaten foundational rule-of-law principles.
Four law firms — Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey — have taken legal action against these orders, obtaining temporary court blocks. The letter calls on other firms and lawyers to join this fight against what it sees as unconstitutional measures.
AG Ford's participation aligns him with attorneys general from New Jersey, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia.