Trump Administration Reverses Course on Law Firm Executive Orders

After abandoning efforts to enforce orders, DOJ says it will proceed with court fight against top law firms.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The Trump administration has abruptly reversed course and said it will proceed with a court fight to enforce executive orders that targeted some of the world's most elite law firms. The unexplained about-face comes a day after the Justice Department withdrew its appeal of court rulings that had blocked the orders.

Why it matters

This latest development represents the latest twist in the Trump administration's yearlong effort to impose sanctions against major law firms whose attorneys had done legal work the president opposed or had been associated with prosecutors who investigated him. The administration's actions have been seen as an unconstitutional affront to the legal system.

The details

Judges who received challenges to the executive orders from targeted firms uniformly ruled against the government, prompting an appeal from the Justice Department. On Monday, the DOJ withdrew its appeal, ending efforts to enforce the orders against the firms of Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey and WilmerHale. Then on Tuesday, the DOJ abruptly reversed course, saying it was withdrawing its earlier motion to dismiss the appeal and would proceed with the court fight.

  • On Monday, the Justice Department withdrew its appeal of the court rulings blocking the executive orders.
  • On Tuesday, the Justice Department reversed its position and said it would proceed with the court fight against the targeted law firms.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president whose administration issued the executive orders targeting the law firms.

U.S. Department of Justice

The federal agency that has been pursuing the court fight to enforce the executive orders against the targeted law firms.

Perkins Coie

One of the law firms targeted by the Trump administration's executive orders.

Jenner & Block

One of the law firms targeted by the Trump administration's executive orders.

Susman Godfrey

One of the law firms targeted by the Trump administration's executive orders.

WilmerHale

One of the law firms targeted by the Trump administration's executive orders.

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What they’re saying

“We remain committed to defending our firm, our people, and our clients.”

— Perkins Coie (Perkins Coie statement)

“We will defend itself and the rule of law — without equivocation.”

— Susman Godfrey (Susman Godfrey statement)

What’s next

The Justice Department's reversal means the court fight against the targeted law firms will continue, with the appeals court set to rule on the government's appeal.

The takeaway

This latest twist in the Trump administration's efforts to punish law firms through executive orders highlights the ongoing tensions between the White House and the legal community, as well as the potential for abrupt policy shifts within the federal government.