Trump to Appeal Perkins Coie Ruling, Extending Law Firm Duel (2)

The Justice Department said Monday it is planning to appeal a federal judge’s decision to strike down an executive order targeting Perkins Coie.

Richard Lawson, the lone lawyer tasked with defending President Trump’s executive orders against Big Law firms, filed a notice of appeal. The department will seek a review by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Judge Beryl Howell in a May 2 decision ruled that the Perkins Coie order was an unconstitutional violation of clients’ right to pick their own counsel, as well as the firm’s due process protections. She called the order “an unprecedented attack” on the “foundational principles” of the American judicial system.

The Justice Department’s decision to appeal that ruling shows the Trump administration is not walking away from its fight with law firms over the order, despite the president being mostly silent on the issue after reaching settlements with nine law firms that sought to avoid being order targets.

Perkins Coie said it also is ready to continue the battle. “The courts have permanently blocked all four unlawful executive orders targeting law firms because those orders violate core constitutional freedoms,” a Perkins Coie spokesperson said. “We look forward to presenting our case to the DC Circuit and remain committed to ensuring that the unconstitutional executive order targeting our firm is never enforced.”

The Justice Department declined to comment.

Perkins Coie was the first of four law firms to sue Trump after being hit with executive orders against them, which limited lawyers’ access to federal buildings, revoked their security clearances, and threatened their clients’ government contracts. Similar orders targeting Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey were also struck down by federal judges.

Trump targeted Perkins Coie for its involvement with Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Former partner Marc Elias retained Fusion GPS, the Washington intelligence firm behind the Steele dossier that presented unverified allegations of connections between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, and the seven other firms that struck deals with Trump pledged a total of $940 million in free legal services for certain causes backed by the firms and the president. They also committed to refrain from discriminatory hiring practices to avoid executive action.

Trump prioritized filling federal appeals court vacancies in his first term, nominating one shy of former President Barack Obama’s record for both of his terms. There are three Trump appointees currently on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit: Neomi Rao, Gregory Katsas, and Justin R Walker.

The case is: Perkins Coie v. U.S. Department of Justice, D.D.C., 1:25-cv-00716, 6/30/25.