Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has joined a multistate coalition of attorneys general in filing amicus briefs opposing executive orders issued by former President Donald Trump, which they argue are unconstitutional and threaten the independence of the legal system.
According to a statement from the Washington Office of the Attorney General, Brown and 20 other attorneys general are pushing back against orders that they say punish law firms for political viewpoints and advocacy work, undermining the integrity of the judicial process.
“These illegal executive orders aimed at specific law firms are an attack on the rule of law,” said Brown. “They could chill legal advocacy by discouraging attorneys from representing certain clients or taking on controversial legal issues due to fear of government retaliation.”
The challenged executive orders reportedly include provisions to suspend security clearances of federal officials affiliated with the targeted firms, block their entry to federal buildings, and bar future employment of individuals associated with these firms. Additionally, federal contractors are now required to disclose any relationships with such firms—potentially jeopardizing government contracts.
The measures are believed to retaliate against law firms that represented interests the Trump administration opposed, infringing on constitutional protections of free speech and access to legal representation.
Two cases currently before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia have resulted in temporary injunctions. The law firms involved are now seeking permanent relief from the enforcement of these executive actions.
In the legal briefs submitted, the coalition of attorneys general argue that the executive orders not only target specific law firms, but could also significantly restrict access to legal services for vulnerable communities—especially those reliant on pro bono representation.
The coalition is led by the attorneys general of Washington, Illinois, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, and includes legal leaders from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
This unified stance signals growing national concern over the broader implications of political interference in the legal system and reinforces the states’ commitment to defending constitutional rights and the independence of the legal profession.
