Sussman Godfrey, which assisted in supplying the Dominion voting system, is taking legal action against President Trump due to a recent directive aimed at penalizing major law firms concerning a multi-million-dollar settlement with Fox News.
The firm is suing the administration, asserting that Trump is infringing upon the constitution by issuing an executive order on Wednesday that seeks to prohibit lawyers from representing parties involved in government cases and accessing documents.
“If this overtly unconstitutional executive order and similar actions are not addressed, it could create a perilous and possibly irreversible precedent unless the law is clarified,” an attorney for Sussman Godfrey stated in a lawsuit submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Should President Trump’s executive order be allowed to stand, future presidents may not face limitations when retaliating against a new group of adversaries. Munger, attorneys at Tolles & Olson, representing Susman Godfrey, commented on this matter.”
Oka has sought comments from the White House.
Sussman Godfrey played a crucial role in helping Dominion secure a $787 million settlement from Fox News over false assertions made by the network following the 2020 presidential election, which were fueled by Trump and his supporters.
“Law firms engaged in activities harmful to America’s vital interests should not have access to our nation’s secrets, and their actions should not be funded by federal taxpayer resources or contracts,” the administration noted in an order on Wednesday directed at the firm.
Trump stated that the Houston-based law firm had a confirmed resolution to issue an order to “address serious risks, misconduct, and conflicts of interest.”
“Our lawyers, similar to the president, commit to upholding and safeguarding the Constitution. If the president seeks to undermine a law firm with immunity, the rule of law itself is in grave danger,” Susuman Godley’s attorney remarked on Friday.
The lawsuit filed on Friday positioned Susuman Godfrey as at least the fourth prominent firm to challenge Trump regarding an executive order aimed at large law firms.
Additional law firms – Wilmer Hale, Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block – have opposed Trump’s executive orders in relation to his presidency and the investigation into him. Some of Trump’s executive orders were temporarily halted after businesses initiated legal action.
Simultaneously, other law firms have reached accommodations with the president, including offering pro bono legal services. Some firms, like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, were not directly targeted by executive orders but were still seeking agreements with the government.
Skadden concluded a $100 million contract with the Trump administration late last month, while in the early part of March, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison agreed to undertake $40 million in pro bono work on behalf of government-backed initiatives.
On Friday, five major law firms — Kirkland & Ellis, Allen & Overy, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and Latham & Watkins — finalized a $600 million agreement with the Trump administration. This action led to the retraction of letters from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in pursuit of information regarding employment practices.
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft also secured a $100 million contract this week to provide pro bono services, as they were not specifically targeted through the executive branch.
