KQED's Forum
To Fold or Fight: Law Firms Weigh Risks of Trump Resistance
Apr 3, 2025
Lori Carr Mims, managing partner at Keker Van Nest & Peters, shares insights on representing asylum seekers while combating the Trump administration's tactics. Investigative reporter Jessica Silver-Greenberg discusses how law firms are pressured under executive orders, raising constitutional alarm. Former associate Rachel Cohen reveals her protest against the collaboration of Skadden with Trump, highlighting internal dissent within firms. Professor Raymond Brescia analyzes the broader implications for democracy and the legal profession's integrity in these trying times.
57:44
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Quick takeaways
- The Trump administration's executive orders create a chilling effect on legal representation by intimidating law firms into compliance and undermining judicial integrity.
- Kecker Van Nest & Peters exemplifies resistance among law firms, emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional values and providing zealous representation for marginalized clients.
Deep dives
Impact of Trump's Executive Orders on Law Firms
The podcast discusses the ramifications of executive orders issued by the Trump administration targeting law firms that represented clients opposing his policies. These orders threaten measures such as stripping lawyers of security clearances and revoking federal contracts, creating a chilling effect on legal representation. The implications for democracy are serious, as the actions suggest an attempt to intimidate lawyers and firms into compliance, effectively undermining the judicial system's role as a check on executive power. Many legal experts express alarm over the unprecedented nature of these orders and the potential erosion of legal rights stemming from this executive overreach.
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