Trump targets Jenner & Block in latest executive order aimed at law firms

By Mike Scarcella and David Thomas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump expanded his attacks on major U.S. law firms on Tuesday as he signed an executive order targeting Jenner & Block, which represents clients challenging some of his major policies and formerly employed a prosecutor involved in a special counsel investigation of his 2016 campaign.

The order resembled ones that Trump previously issued against prominent firms Perkins Coie and Paul Weiss. These orders suspended security clearances for their lawyers and restricted their access to government buildings, officials and federal contracting work.

The Republican president cited Jenner & Block's past employment of Andrew Weissmann, a top federal prosecutor involved in former U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation that detailed Russian contacts with Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump, who faced criminal charges in four separate cases after his first term as president, has complained that large law firms worked with Democrats against him and his allies. White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf, in explaining Trump's action, accused Jenner & Block of "weaponization of the legal system against American principles and values."

Jenner & Block said in a statement that the executive order resembled one that "has already been declared unconstitutional" by a federal judge.

"We remain focused on serving and safeguarding our clients’ interests with the dedication, integrity, and expertise that has defined our firm for more than one hundred years and will pursue all appropriate remedies,” Jenner & Block said.

In all, Trump has signed executive orders targeting four major U.S. law firms. Paul Weiss subsequently made a deal with Trump to escape the executive order. The order "could easily have destroyed our firm," Paul Weiss chairman Brad Karp said in a letter on Sunday defending the agreement.

Jenner & Block has been involved in litigation challenging policies pursued by Trump since he returned to office in January.

In one case, Jenner & Block and other firms won a court ruling that blocked enforcement of a Trump executive order halting federal funding to healthcare providers that offer gender transition treatments to people under 19. In another, the firm is on the legal team representing immigrant rights groups challenging Trump's efforts to curb asylum rights.

Jenner & Block also is representing an environmental group in a lawsuit accusing Trump's Environmental Protection Agency of illegally freezing grant money.

The firm employs several former officials from the administrations of Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as lawyers who previously worked with the U.S. House of Representatives committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump's supporters.

Weissmann was at the firm from 2006 to 2011, and returned there in 2020 after serving on Mueller's prosecution team. Weissmann did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Perkins Coie sued the administration this month, accusing Trump of exceeding his powers.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington on March 12 temporarily blocked parts of Trump's order against Perkins Coie, finding the firm's lawsuit was likely to succeed. 

"I am sure many in the legal profession are watching in horror about what Perkins Coie is going through here," Howell said.

Trump on Friday directed the Justice Department to recommend similar moves against lawyers and law firms that handle immigration cases or that sued the government over the past eight years - a group that includes many of the largest U.S. firms.

Bar associations and legal experts said this month that Trump's targeting of law firms could cast a chill over the freedom lawyers have to represent clients of their choice.

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Nandita Bose and Mike Scarcella in Washington and David Thomas in Chicago; Editing by David Bario, Deepa Babington and Daniel Wallis)