Judge Blocks Trump Order Against Jenner & Block

U.S. District Judge John D. Bates has permanently blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting the law firm Jenner & Block, ruling it unconstitutional for retaliating against protected speech and legal representation. The order penalized Jenner & Block largely due to its past employment of Andrew Weissmann, a prosecutor in the Mueller investigation. Judge Bates found that the executive order constituted viewpoint discrimination and an attempt to insulate the Executive Branch from judicial oversight. This decision follows a similar recent ruling that protected Perkins Coie from another Trump executive order. The actions against law firms involved suspending security clearances and contracts in what Bates called 'retaliatory' moves. Other firms, including WilmerHale and Susman Godfrey, are also pursuing lawsuits over similar Trump administration executive actions.