Nearly 400 partners have signed up to Law Firm Partners United (LFPU), a group for partners at top 200 firms to speak out for the rule of law in the face of the Trump administration’s war on big law.
‘The Purpose of this Group is to Bring Together Partners at AMLAW 200 law firms to find ways to express our point of view on the rule of law when our firms choose to lie silent’, LFPU says on its LinkedIn. ‘There is a saying that Democracy dies in silence. The goal of this group is ensure that we protect democracy by not being silent.’
The group was established by two Goodwin partners: Silicon Valley IP partner and former executive committee member Neel Chatterjee, listed as the group’s admin on LinkedIn, and Washington DC antitrust and competition partner and first-chair trial lawyer David Cross.
At the time of going to press, 390 partners have signed on since LFPU was formed on Sunday (6 April), from firms including Latham & Watkins, DLA Piper, Morrison Foerster, Wilson Sonsini, and Paul Hastings.
Partners who join the group act as individuals and do not represent their firms, and the group aims to provide a space for internal discussion as well as to coordinate outward-facing statements and action.
One of the responses the group is considering is filing an amicus brief on the executive orders against law firms, which are currently being challenged in the courts by Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, and Jenner & Block.
Conversely, firms including Paul Weiss, Willkie, Skadden, and Milbank have cut deals with the administration to get the orders rescinded.
Last Friday, Munger, Tolles & Olson and litigation boutique Elmer Stahl filed an amicus brief on behalf of more than 500 firms in Perkins Coie’s suit. Freshfields was the largest international firm to sign the brief, joined also by firms including Covington & Burling, Arnold & Porter, and Crowell & Moring.
The failure of many large firms to lend their support helped prompt the establishment of LFPU.
In a post on LinkedIn, Chatterjee said: ‘I originally set a goal of 100 lawyers. With the encouraging response, I would like to see us reach 500.
‘Please spread the word, and encourage people to join. Our first stop is consideration of filing an amicus brief on some of the EOs targeting law firms. We have not yet decided whether the group wants to do it, but if you want to share your voice, now is the time.’
He concluded: ‘As always, we are acting as individuals and not on behalf of our law firms.’
Cross reshared the post, adding: ‘If you’re a partner at an #AmLaw200 firm, please join us at #LawFirmPartnersUnited. Now is the time for lawyers to individually speak up about the unlawful attacks on our profession and the rule of law. This organization is intended to give a voice to individual partners in #BigLaw in their personal capacity.
‘There are tens of thousands of AmLaw200 partners. Collectively, we can make our voices heard and protect the rule of law — before it’s too late.’
