Former top government lawyers are jumping into the Big Law fight against Trump [View all]

Source: Politico

04/15/2025 06:16 PM EDT


Solicitors general from past administrations are emerging as some of the most prominent opponents of President Donald Trump’s actions targeting the legal profession. In recent weeks, at least three of the nation’s top advocates across Republican and Democratic administrations have spoken out against or challenged in court Trump’s executive orders that seek to punish law firms.

“I think this is a moment to stand up,” former President Joe Biden’s solicitor general Elizabeth Prelogar told students during an appearance at Harvard Law School last week. “It has been key in our society and in our democracy to hold the executive to account. And there is a legal system that is designed to deal with an issue like this one.”

Two prior solicitors general — Donald Verrilli and Paul Clement — have been instrumental in challenging Trump’s orders in court. Verrilli, appointed by former President Barack Obama, represents the firm Susman Godfrey and Clement, appointed by former President George W. Bush, represents the firm WilmerHale. Both firms are fighting Trump’s orders that cut them off from government contracts, strip their lawyers of security clearances and bar firm employees from interacting with government officials or entering government buildings.

As Trump targets major law firms for employing attorneys who have investigated him or for taking on cases he views as opposed to his personal and political interests, nine firms, including some of the most profitable in the world, have opted to strike deals with the president instead of challenging him in court. But for firms who have chosen to fight the president’s actions, there may be no greater advocates than those who previously spoke for the federal government at the highest level. “You would think the first in line to defend the rule of law would be solicitors general,” said a former solicitor general granted anonymity to speak candidly. “Every single former living solicitor general should be out in front of this.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/15/trump-law-firms-solicitor-general-00292020