A federal judge issued a permanent ruling on Friday that prohibits the Trump administration from implementing an executive order aimed at the Perkins Coie law firm, describing the efforts of President Donald Trump to take energetic measures against law firms as an unconstitutional and “unprecedented” attack on the basic foundations of the law.
“No US president has issued executive orders such as the one in question in this law Howell’s judge, Ruling’s opinion said.
“In a turn worthy of shame in the theater phrase ‘we kill all the lawyers’, EO 14230 adopts the approach of ‘We kill lawyers that I do not like’, sending the clear message: the lawyers must adhere to the line of the party, or not,” he added.
The Office of the Perkins Coie law firm is seen on April 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. Perkins Coie filed a lawsuit to block the executive order of President Donald Trump that eliminates security authorizations for lawyers working for Perkins Coie and aim to put an end to government contracts that exist with the company.
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Howell’s ruling is a rapid reprimand of government actions in a case that is just a challenge of several against Trump’s efforts to attack law firms that have represented their political opponents or used them.
The executive order of Trump, which cited the old representation of Perkins Coie of the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016, sought to strip the security authorizations of the company’s lawyers, practically stopping any treatment with the federal government and restrict their lawyers to access most of the federal buildings.
In March, Howell issued a temporary restriction order that blocks the Trump administration to implement key parts of the executive order.
President Donald Trump greets while he leaves the One Air Force upon arrival at the National Airport of Tuscaloosa in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, May 1, 2025.
Saul Loeb/AFP through Getty Images
During a judicial hearing on April 23, while Howell contemplated a more durable block, he again expressed concerns about the constitutionality of Trump’s movement and abruptly questioned government lawyers.
On that hearing, Trump resorted to social networks to criticize the judge by name for his assignment to the case.
Trump has issued similar executive orders aimed at four other law firms, while at least nine law firms have signed controversial agreements with the White House, offering millions of dollars in Pro Bono works on causes backed by conservatives to avoid being attacked.
