'An infringement of one's right': Nassau County Bar Association condemns Trump's targeting of law firms

The Nassau County Bar Association is the latest group to condemn President Donald Trump for his orders targeting three law firms that represented his political enemies or were linked to attorneys that pursued criminal cases against him.

Trump signed an executive order on Friday suspending security clearances for Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, a New York law firm, and ex-employee Mark Pomerantz. He built a case against Trump at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office after retiring from the firm. Pomerantz left Paul, Weiss in 2012, according to Politico. The district attorney ultimately did not pursue those charges against Trump in 2021.

"This is not a political issue, but an issue we believe goes to the heart of the judicial system," Daniel Russo, president of the Nassau County Bar Association, told Newsday, adding that the "executive orders are an infringement on one’s right to counsel of their choosing."

The Nassau Bar Association, which Russo said is one of the nation’s largest suburban professional membership groups for attorneys, assailed Trump's executive actions against Paul, Weiss and two other law firms. Last month, Trump issued a presidential memorandum to suspend security clearances of Covington & Burling LLP — a Washington-based law firm that represented a federal prosecutor who brought criminal cases against Trump — related to Jack Smith's time as special counsel. Those cases were dropped after Trump was elected in November.

Early this month, Trump signed another executive order against Perkins Coie LLP, a law firm that provided legal services for the Democratic National Committee and worked on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Trump’s order suspended security clearances for employees at Perkins Coie, who are now limited from entering federal buildings. Attorneys cannot effectively represent their clients if they can’t get into buildings, infringing on an individual’s right to have counsel of their choice, Russo said.

"These Executive Orders severely punish private attorneys and their law firms who have represented individuals the Executive Branch deems political adversaries," the statement from Nassau’s bar association reads. "The Nassau County Bar Association unequivocally supports individuals’ rights to legal counsel who can advocate on their behalf without the fear of reprisal."

Harrison Fields, a spokesperson for the White House, said the Trump administration "is working efficiently to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. It is absurd that billion-dollar law firms are suing to retain their access to government perks and handouts.” 

Last week, the Trump administration published a "fact sheet," claiming Pomerantz was considered an "unethical attorney" and said that "Federal Agencies will also refrain from hiring Paul Weiss employees unless specifically authorized."

The New York State Bar Association issued a similar letter of condemnation last week, calling Trump's moves "retaliation against lawyers who represent causes the president does not like."

"When our government vilifies lawyers and law firms for representing causes that the administration despises, our system of justice is undermined. If all members of our society do not have access to justice, there is no justice," the letter reads.

The New York City Bar Association also slammed the executive action against Covington & Burling, saying it was "clearly intended to deter law firms from representing clients whose interests are not aligned with those of the Executive Branch."

A federal judge last week blocked Trump from enforcing parts of the executive order against Perkins Coie, describing the mandate as a threat to "the very foundation of our legal system," The Associated Press reported.

"Our justice system is based on the fundamental belief that justice works best when all parties have zealous advocates," said U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell.