A Washington, D.C. law firm was recently penalized for representing a party the government disliked
The American Bar Association has condemned recent intimidation tactics against the US legal profession.
According to the legal group, a Washington, D.C. law firm was recently penalized for representing a party the government disliked.
“Clients have the right to have access to their lawyer without interference by the government. Lawyers must be free to represent clients and perform their ethical duty without fear of retribution. These government actions deny clients access to justice and betray our fundamental values,” ABA president William R. Bay wrote in a statement.
The legal group pointed to what it described as “escalating” government efforts to challenge the impartiality of the court, the right to counsel and due process, and the freedoms of speech and association in the US. It highlighted how government officials sought the impeachment of judges on the grounds of corruption without proof – because the judges ruled against the government’s interests.
“There have now been statements by officials criticizing judges for not following the will of the people. Judges swear oaths to follow the law, not public opinion polling or political chatter or what someone contends is the will of the people,” Bay wrote. “Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed.”
He highlighted a recent executive order targeting legal and medical organizations due to their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; a government official suggested that law firms acting for parties against the government should be identified, despite such information being public.
Justice department lawyers and assistant US attorneys have also faced personal attacks, intimidation, firings and demotions for doing their jobs – an act the ABA found “especially disturbing” given the government’s public promise that it would not weaponize or politicize the justice department.
Bay added that while disagreeing with case law interpretation was permissible, targeting judges personally was unacceptable.
“We cannot have a judicial system where the government seeks to remove judges simply because they do not rule as the government desires. Considering the increasing physical threats to judges, these are clearly efforts to intimidate judges and our courts,” Bay wrote. “The courts are a co-equal branch of our government, and they must be treated that way.”
He urged government officials to appeal decisions as “the appropriate way to disagree,” and called for the profession to speak out against the recent government actions.
