Law Students Call on the Legal Profession to Defend the Rule of Law | ACS

In response to the President’s assaults on legal professionals, regulation corporations, and judges, greater than 1,200 regulation college students from over 120 regulation colleges across the nation have signed on to a letter that calls on the authorized occupation to face up towards this administration’s assaults towards the rule of regulation, problem the President’s illegal actions, and act in assist of democracy and the rule of regulation.

The letter was drafted by twelve American Structure Society pupil leaders. The letter, and signatories and listing of colleges represented follows:

The rule of regulation is beneath assault. For the reason that President took workplace three months in the past, his administration has unleashed a bevy of assaults on legal professionals, regulation corporations, and federal judges. As present regulation college students and aspiring members of the authorized occupation, we worry that the rule of regulation is eroding earlier than our eyes, leaving the American justice system unrecognizable. We got here to regulation faculty to struggle for liberty and a extra simply and inclusive world. Preserving these beliefs and objectives for us and for future generations requires present members of the authorized occupation to face up and defend the rule of regulation towards this lawless administration.

This administration has taken consequential steps to remove protections for the rule of regulation, together with the firing of greater than a dozen prime ethics attorneys from federal companies. The President has since turned his ire outward, attacking legal professionals and regulation corporations who’ve represented the President’s political opponents, participated in investigations involving the President, or supported causes the President disfavors. The rising listing of focused corporations consists of: WilmerHale, Jenner & Block, Paul Weiss, Perkins Coie, and Covington & Burling. Companies that didn’t capitulate to the administration’s calls for have: had their authorities contracts threatened, had their staffs’ safety clearances rescinded, and been barred from accessing federal buildings. The assaults towards legal professionals and regulation corporations are ongoing and have expanded to incorporate any lawyer or regulation agency that has litigated towards the federal authorities within the final eight years. Moreover, this administration has continued to assault the authorized occupation via the Equal Employment Alternative Fee (EEOC)’s investigation into regulation agency Range, Fairness, and Inclusion packages. This administration has additionally repeatedly undermined and known as for the impeachment of federal judges for merely fulfilling their sworn responsibility: administering justice and upholding the Structure.

The President’s actions undermine the authorized occupation. These threats and assaults goal to hinder and dissuade legal professionals from taking over shoppers that oppose the President’s agenda, undermining their skill to hunt justice. Retaliatory assaults towards legal professionals and judges threaten not solely the rule of regulation, but in addition separation of powers, thereby attacking each the inspiration of the American justice system and the elemental ideas of a constitutional democracy.

We be part of the American Bar Affiliation, American Structure Society, and bar organizations throughout the nation in calling on all members of the authorized occupation to insist that the federal government keep the rule of regulation. As Thomas Paine declared in Widespread Sense, “In America, the regulation is king,” not the Government. This precept is the cornerstone of our democracy and the authorized occupation, and we acknowledge a particular accountability as aspiring attorneys to defend and defend it. Defending our Nation’s democracy requires every particular person within the authorized occupation – our future friends and all authorized organizations, together with regulation corporations – to actively oppose the President’s assaults on legal professionals, judges, and authorized establishments. In the end, there may be no authorized occupation with out the rule of regulation.

Leaders at each degree of the occupation should stand collectively to defend the rule of regulation. We’re heartened to see the groundswell of voices from throughout the occupation, together with, as of March 27, from academia, regulation faculty deans, regulation corporations of all sizes (right here, right here, right here, right here, right here, right here, and right here), bar associations (right here and right here), and states attorneys basic, talking out in favor of democratic ideas. We additionally specific resounding assist for regulation corporations who’ve fought again towards the administration’s threats. We look ahead to becoming a member of a authorized occupation that stands in solidarity to problem the President’s illegal actions, and in assist of democracy and the rule of regulation. The time to talk out and act in protection of the rule of regulation is now.

Click on right here for the complete listing of signatories.

Government Order, Rule of Legislation