Law Firms
Temporary Restraining Orders Granted to Law Firms Challenging Trump’s Executive Orders
March 31, 2025, 1:35 pm CDT
Two prominent law firms have successfully obtained temporary restraining orders (TROs). These orders block specific aspects of President Donald Trump’s executive directives that impacted the firms’ operations and access to government resources. (Photo by Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA/Sipa via the Associated Press)
On March 31, 2025, the legal teams from Jenner & Block and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (WilmerHale) secured TROs that prevent enforcement of certain prohibitions outlined in executive orders issued by President Trump. The orders had significant implications, including the suspension of lawyers’ security clearances, limitations on access to government facilities, hindrances on government hiring of employees, and a review of government contracts held by the firms.
WilmerHale’s legal representation includes noted attorney Paul Clement, identified as having previously commented that BigLaw has become excessively “woke,” as per reports from Bloomberg Law and Original Jurisdiction. Clement, who transitioned from his role at Kirkland & Ellis due to conflicts regarding his representation of clients in gun rights cases, now leads Clement & Murphy, a specialized appellate law firm.
Clement expressed the critical nature of this legal action, stating, “This lawsuit is absolutely critical to vindicating the First Amendment, our adversarial system of justice and the rule of law,” highlighting the significance of the case in defending constitutional rights.
Jenner & Block’s representation comes from the law firm Cooley. The executive orders targeted the firms based on their employment of former special counsel Robert Mueller by WilmerHale and Mueller’s lead prosecutor by Jenner & Block.
Judge John D. Bates, a senior judge for the District of Columbia and appointed by former President George W. Bush, granted the TRO in the Jenner & Block matter, noting the detrimental effects of the executive order on the firm’s operations. He remarked, “Considering the firmwide effects of the executive order, it threatens the existence of the firm.”
Similarly, Judge Richard J. Leon, also appointed by George W. Bush, approved the TRO for WilmerHale, stating, “The injuries to plaintiff here would be severe and would spill over to its clients and the justice system at large. The public interest demands protecting against harms of this magnitude.”
The TRO issued in the Jenner & Block case specifically blocked provisions related to the reassessment of government contracts and restricted access to government buildings. However, Jenner & Block did not seek to challenge the security clearance suspension. For WilmerHale, while Leon denied their request affecting security clearances, he did block aspects of the order that limited access to government facilities and sought reviews of client contracts.
In a related legal action, another law firm, Perkins Coie, filed a suit that resulted in a TRO issued by Judge Beryl A. Howell on March 12. Like the other orders, this too did not alter the security clearance provisions, which the firm did not contest. The executive orders referenced Perkins Coie’s relationship with Fusion GPS, linking it to the infamous Steele dossier alleging foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Additional coverage of the ongoing legal developments can be found in outlets like Law.com, the New York Times, Reuters, and Bloomberg Law.
Updated March 31 at 2:30 p.m. to confirm that Paul Clement represents Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.
