The Steady Drip: Law Firms Ask Judges to Permanently Block Trump Executive Orders (Connecting the Dots: Perkins Coie, Covington & Burling, Kirkland & Ellis, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Latham & Watkins LLP, Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr, LLP, Robert Mueller & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Law Firms Ask Judges to Permanently Block Trump Executive Orders (Connecting the Dots: Perkins Coie, Covington & Burling, Kirkland & Ellis, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Latham & Watkins LLP, Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr, LLP, Robert Mueller & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Newsmax.com

Wednesday, 23 April 2025 06:56 AM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/trump-law-firms-judge/2025/04/23/id/1207970/

Two major law firms are expected to ask separate judges on Wednesday to permanently block executive orders issued by President Donald Trump, which they argue negatively impact their business operations.

The firms — Perkins Coie and WilmerHale — have said the orders imposed in March are unconstitutional assaults on the legal profession that threaten their relationships with clients and retaliate against them based either on their past legal representations or their association with particular attorneys who Trump perceives as his adversaries.

Courts last month temporarily halted enforcement of key provisions of both orders, but the firms are in court Wednesday asking for the edicts to be struck down in their entirety and for judges to issue rulings in their favor. Another firm, Jenner & Block, is expected to make similar arguments next week.

“Although Perkins Coie did not bring this suit lightly, it was compelled to do so to preserve its ability to continue representing the best interests of its clients,” lawyers for Perkins Coie wrote in a filing ahead of the hearing. “The Constitution does not permit our elected leaders, from any party, to punish lawyers by fiat for representing clients who oppose their political agendas. It would set a grave precedent for our Republic if the Order were allowed to stand.”

The executive orders targeting some of the country’s most well-known law firms are part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration aimed at influencing civil institutions and addressing actions by perceived opponents. These actions have prompted affected organizations, including law firms and universities, to choose between legally challenging the measures or negotiating settlements to avoid potential penalties. Some firms have taken their cases to court, while others have opted to reach agreements.

The orders have generally imposed the same consequences, including directing the suspension of attorney security clearances, restricting lawyers' access to federal buildings and terminating federal contracts.

The first law firm action took place in February when Trump signed a memo suspending the security clearances of attorneys at Covington & Burling who have provided legal services to special counsel Jack Smith, who investigated the president between his first and second terms and secured two indictments that have since been abandoned.

The executive order targeting Perkins Coie singled out the firm's representation of Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential race, and the one against WilmerHale cited the fact that special counsel Robert Mueller — who investigated Trump during his first term over potential ties between Russia and his 2016 campaign — was for years a partner at the firm.

Last month, the firm Paul Weiss cut a deal with the Trump administration that resulted in an executive order against it being rescinded.

Since then, more than a half-dozen other firms have reached agreements with the White House that require them, among other things, to dedicate free legal services to causes the Trump administration says it champions.

They include Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Milbank; Willkie, Farr & Gallagher; Kirkland & Ellis; Latham & Watkins LLP; Allen Overy Shearman Sterling US LLP; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP; and Cadwalader, Taft & Wickersham.

Connecting the Dots:

Perkins Coie

Robert F. Bauer is a partner at Perkins Coie, married to Anita B. Dunn, was the White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration and Barack Obama’s personal counsel.

Barack Obama’s personal counsel was Robert F. Bauer and the president for the Barack Obama administration.

Anita B. Dunn is married to Robert F. Bauer, a managing director at SKDKnickerbocker, was the communications director for the Barack Obama administration, Tom Daschle’s senior political adviser and William W. Bradley’s chief of staff.

Jennifer Cunningham is a managing director at SKDKnickerbocker and a director at the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, the Center for American Progress and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, was a supporter for the Center for American Progress and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Tom Daschle is a director at the Center for American Progress, his senior political adviser was Anita B. Dunn and the nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama administration.

Melody C. Barnes was the EVP for the Center for American Progress, the domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration and is Barack Obama’s golf partner.

William W. Bradley’s was his chief of staff was Anita B. Dunn and is a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Covington & Burling

John Bolton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bolton#Attorney

Attorney

From 1974 to 1981, Bolton was an associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Covington & Burling; he returned to the firm again from 1983 to 1985. Bolton was also a partner in the law firm of Lerner, Reed, Bolton & McManus, from 1993 to 1999.[43][44][45] He was of counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Kirkland & Ellis from 2008 until his appointment as National Security Advisor in 2018.[46][47][48] In September 2015, Freedom Capital Investment Management appointed Bolton as a senior advisor.

John R. Bolton was an associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Covington & Burling LLP,

the national security adviser for the Donald Trump's first Administration and of counsel at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Eric H. Holder Jr. is a partner at Covington & Burling LLP, was a board member for the American Constitution Society, the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for the Barack Obama administration.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the American Constitution Society.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee for Economic Development.

Economic Development and the Attorney General of New York.

Stuart E. Eizenstat is a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a partner at Covington & Burling LLP.

Philip K. Howard is a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a partner at Covington & Burling LLP.

Eugene A. Ludwig is a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and was a partner at Covington & Burling LLP.

John R. Bolton was an associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Covington & Burling LLP, the national security adviser for the Donald Trump's first Administration and of counsel at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Kirkland & Ellis

John Bolton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bolton#Attorney

Attorney

John R. Bolton was of counsel at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, an associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Covington & Burling LLP and the national security adviser for the Donald Trump's first Administration.

Binta N. Brown is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and a director at Human Rights First.

James D. Zirin was a director at the Human Rights First and is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Mark A. Angelson was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP and a director at the Human Rights First.

William D. Zabel is the chair for the Human Rights First, was a trustee at the Foundation to Promote Open Society and George Soros’s divorce lawyer.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Human Rights First.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and William D. Zabel was his divorce lawyer.

David F. Hamilton was a summer intern at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and a canvasser for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) was the plaintiff in ACORN vs. Illinois State Board of Elections.

Barack Obama was the attorney for ACORN vs. Illinois State Board of Elections and an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Mark A. Angelson was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP and a director at the Human Rights First.

James D. Zirin is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and was a director at the Human Rights First.

William D. Zabel is the chair for the Human Rights First, was a trustee at the Foundation to Promote Open Society and George Soros’s divorce lawyer.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and William D. Zabel was his divorce lawyer.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Human Rights First.

Binta N. Brown is a director at Human Rights First and a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

John R. Bolton was of counsel at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, the national security adviser for the Donald Trump's first Administration, an associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Covington & Burling LLP and a director at the Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc.

Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. received export financing support from the Export-Import Bank of the US.

General Electric Company gets export financing support from the Export-Import Bank of the US.

Sidley Austin LLP was the lobby firm for the General Electric Company.

James D. Zirin is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and was a director at the Human Rights First.

Mark A. Angelson was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP and a director and the Human Rights First.

William D. Zabel is the chair for the Human Rights First, was a trustee at the Foundation to Promote Open Society and George Soros’s divorce lawyer.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Human Rights First.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and William D. Zabel was his divorce lawyer.

Binta N. Brown is a director at Human Rights First and a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

John R. Bolton was of counsel at Kirkland & Ellis LLP an associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Covington & Burling LLP and the national security adviser in the Donald Trump's first Administration.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

Judge Eric M. Davis

https://ballotpedia.org/Eric_M._Davis

Career

Davis began his career with the firm of Miles & Stockbridge and then joined Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in 1996. He was appointed to the Court of Common Pleas of New Castle County in 2010, where he served until he joined the Superior Court in 2012.

Judge Eric M. Davis began his career with the firm of Miles & Stockbridge and then joined Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in 1996 and is a judge of the New Castle County Superior Court in Delaware.

Christina M. Tchen was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and the chief of staff to the first lady (Michelle Obama) for the Barack Obama administration.

Patrick J. Fitzgerald is a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, monitoring the sale and closure of the Corinthian Colleges and was the prosecutor in the U.S. vs. Rod Blagojevich et al.

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for Corinthian Colleges.

Rod R. Blagojevich was the defendant in the U.S. vs. Rod Blagojevich et al and the Illinois state government governor.

Antoinette Cook Bush was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s stepdaughter.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is Antoinette Cook Bush’s stepfather, a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank).

Gregory B. Craig was a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration, is a trustee at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank) and a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

Latham & Watkins LLP

Philip Perry is a partner at Latham & Watkins, LLP and married to Elizabeth (Liz) Cheney Perry.

Bradley C. Faris is a partner at Latham & Watkins, LLP and an attorney at Koch Industries.

Timothy P. FitzSimons is a partner at Latham & Watkins, LLP and an attorney at Koch Industries.

Mark D. Gerstein is a partner at Latham & Watkins, LLP and an attorney at Koch Industries.

Shaun D. Hartley is a partner at Latham & Watkins, LLP and an attorney at Koch Industries.

Brad E. Kotler is a partner at Latham & Watkins, LLP and an attorney at Koch Industries.

Latham & Watkins, LLP is Koch Industries law firm.

David H. Koch is the EVP for Koch Industries and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Madeleine K. Albright is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project and was the president of the Truman Center for National Policy.

R. Hunter Biden is a director at the Truman National Security Project, a director at the Truman Center for National Policy and Joseph R. Biden Jr’s son.

Kamala D. Harris is an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project, an advisory board member for the Truman Center for National Policy and the Vice President for the Joe Biden Administration.

William J. Perry is an advisory board member for the Truman National Security Project, an advisory board member for the Truman Center for National Policy and a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Michael Douglas is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a friend of George Soros.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Jon M. Huntsman Jr. is a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and an ambassador to China for the Barack Obama administration.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank).

Antoinette Cook Bush was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s stepdaughter.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr, LLP

Jamie S. Gorelick is a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner’s attorney, was a deputy attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice and a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and was an associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.

Cheng Li was a senior fellow at the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a professor at Hamilton College.

Judge Randolph D. Moss received an A.B. from Hamilton College in 1983, was in private practice at the Washington office of Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr, LLP, is a district judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and ruled that President Donald Trump's plan to crack down on asylum claims overstepped his authority.

Judge Theodore D. Chuang served as counsel at the law firm of Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr LLP, was a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, he served as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and In March 2025, Chuang ruled that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Robert S. Mueller III was a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, a director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), investigating interference with Russia in the 2016 U.S. election, special counsel investigating Russian ties in the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign, a special counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, James Quarles III assisted him in the Russia probe, Jeannie Rhee assisted him in the Russia collusion probe and Aaron Zebley assisted him in the Russia probe.

James Quarles III was a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr and assisted Robert S. Mueller III in the Russia probe.

Jeannie Rhee is a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, assisted Robert S. Mueller III in the Russia collusion probe and was a deputy assistant attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Aaron Zebley was a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr and assisted Robert S. Mueller III in the Russia probe.

Jared Kushner’s law firm is Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, Jamie S. Gorelick is his attorney, is the senior adviser to the president for the Donald Trump administration and Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank)

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank).

Robert Kagan was a transatlantic fellow for the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank), a senior associate for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and is a senior fellow for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and was an associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle and Antoinette Cook Bush’s stepfather.

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for Corinthian Colleges.

Patrick J. Fitzgerald is monitoring the sale and closure of the Corinthian Colleges a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and was the prosecutor in the U.S. vs. Rod Blagojevich et al.

Antoinette Cook Bush was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s stepdaughter.

Judge Eric M. Davis

https://ballotpedia.org/Eric_M._Davis

Career

Christina M. Tchen was a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and the chief of staff to the first lady (Michelle Obama) for the Barack Obama administration.

Resources: Past Research

Rouse exits WH, in talks with Perkins Coie (Past Research on Perkins Coie)

Friday, January 17, 2014

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/01/rouse-exits-wh-in-talks-with-perkins.html

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, January 19, 2026) (Connecting the Dots: Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King III, Civil Rights Movement, America Votes, The Unions, James Hoffa Jr., Hakeem Jeffries, Mikhail Gorbachev, Green Cross International, The Nation of Islam, The United Church of Christ, The White Farmer, Vietnam, Jane Fonda A.K.A. Hanoi Jane, Weather Underground & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy & America Votes)

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2026/01/martin-luther-king-jr-day-monday.html

Democrat lawyer blamed for undermining both 2016 and 2020 election results (Connecting the Dots: Joe Biden's Money in Open Secrets & the Independence USA PAC) (Past Research on Perkins Coie, Anita B. Dunn & William W. Bradley)

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/05/democrat-lawyer-blamed-for-undermining.html

Trump Blasts 'Low-Life' Bolton After FBI Raid on His Home (John Bolton, Kirkland & Ellis, Covington & Burling, DOJ, FBI, & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on John Bolton, Kirkland & Ellis & Covington & Burling)

Friday, August 22, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/08/trump-blasts-low-life-bolton-after-fbi.html

Newsmax Announces Settlement With Dominion Voting Systems (Connecting the Dots: Dominion Voting Systems, The Open Society Foundations, Judge Eric Davis, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom)

Monday, August 18, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/08/newsmax-announces-settlement-with.html

Liz Cheney’s Husband Is Partner At Law Firm Representing Hunter Biden (Connecting the Dots: Liz Cheney’s Husband Philip Perry, Latham & Watkins, LLP, Hunter Biden, Kamala Harris, World Bank, Think Tanks & Soros, All Networking) (Past Research on Latham & Watkins, LLP)

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/08/liz-cheneys-husband-is-partner-at-law.html

Madeleine Albright, 1st Female US Secretary of State, Dies at 84 (Connecting Her Dots In The Soros Network) (Past Research on Madeleine Albright, Hunter Biden, Kamala Harris & William J. Perry)

Thursday, March 24, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/03/madeleine-albright-1st-female-us.html

Nolte: Flashback — Admitted Occultist Sally Quinn Ridiculed Sarah Palin’s Christian Faith (Past Research on the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank))

Thursday, September 14, 2017

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/09/nolte-flashback-admitted-occultist.html