Perkins Coie has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that a recent executive order unlawfully sanctions the law firm due to its political affiliations. The order, issued on March 6, directs federal agencies to revoke security credentials for the firm's lawyers, terminate government contracts with its clients, and bar Perkins Coie employees from entering federal buildings or obtaining agency jobs, as reported by Bloomberg Law.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the lawsuit contends that the directive is unconstitutional and politically motivated. Williams & Connolly partner Dane Butswinkas is leading Perkins Coie’s legal team in the case.

“The order is an affront to the Constitution and our adversarial system of justice,” the lawsuit states. “Its plain purpose is to bully those who advocate points of view that the president perceives as adverse to the views of his administration.”

Trump defended the order, arguing that the firm played a role in the “weaponization against a political opponent” during the 2016 presidential campaign. Perkins Coie attorneys previously advised Hillary Clinton’s campaign and retained Fusion GPS for opposition research that led to the controversial Steele dossier, which alleged links between Trump’s campaign and Russian officials.

Perkins Coie asserts that the firm is already suffering financially due to the order. “The firm has lost clients, lost business, and received worried inquiries from its largest clients,” the lawsuit states.

The firm has also asked the court to impose a temporary restraining order preventing the administration from enforcing the directive while legal proceedings continue.

Butswinkas, who is representing Perkins Coie, is a former chairman of Williams & Connolly, a firm known for its aggressive litigation style. He previously represented Elon Musk in a dispute with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over Musk’s tweets regarding Tesla’s potential privatization. Butswinkas briefly served as Tesla’s general counsel before returning to private practice.

Williams & Connolly has assigned 13 additional attorneys to the Perkins Coie case, including 12 partners and senior counsel F. Lane Heard III.

The executive order also directs the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate Perkins Coie’s diversity initiatives, citing concerns over race-based hiring quotas. In response, the firm states that it restructured its diversity programs in 2023 following the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action in college admissions.

Among the attorneys representing Perkins Coie is Malachi Jones, the chief diversity partner at Williams & Connolly, who focuses exclusively on the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts.

Perkins Coie warns that the order could jeopardize its survival. According to an affidavit from partner David Burman, 15 of the firm’s top clients rely on government contracts. “Perkins Coie has already lost significant revenue due to the loss of clients who terminated their engagements in the few days since the order was issued,” Burman stated.

He further warned that continued enforcement of the order “would put the firm’s solvency and very existence at risk.” The directive’s broad language also raises concerns about whether firm attorneys can pass Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screenings at airports.

Legal experts believe Perkins Coie has a strong case. Bruce Green, a legal ethics professor at Fordham School of Law, said the order likely violates due process rights and interferes with government contractors' ability to choose legal representation freely.

“The reasons are arbitrary and political,” Green said. “This violates those parties’ right to legal assistance from lawyers of their choosing as well as to a fair opportunity to contract with the government—as well as the law firm’s due process rights.”

The case is Perkins Coie v. U.S. Department of Justice, D.D.C., 1:25-cv-00716, filed March 11, 2025.