Keker, Van Nest & Peters and its leaders have come out swinging against the Trump administration’s executive actions targeting law firms, calling on the legal industry to unite in defense of the rule of law. A Law.com analysis compares Keker’s outspoken stance with the silence from the majority of larger AmLaw 100 law firms.
From a guest essay in The New York Times to a 60 Minutes interview on CBS, the firm and its leaders have garnered significant media attention for taking a stand against the administration’s executive orders, Law.com reports.
Partner Robert Van Nest told Law.com it was easy for the partnership to unify in the face of the mounting attacks by Trump.
“Things finally boiled over in mid-March after Trump attacked Perkins (Coie) and attacked all lawyers doing asylum and immigration work. That touched a raw nerve. We do a lot of immigration and asylum work, it's righteous work. It was an easy decision for us [to speak out],” Van Nest said.
Managing Partner Laurie Carr Mims said the firm has a history of challenging the government over unconstitutional actions.
“We [were] willing to take on the risk…. We did so in the first Trump administration, we did so in the Biden administration,” Mims said. “We currently have actions where we’re adverse to the government. … We will continue that and continue to be vocal.”
Van Nest added: “What we want to counter is the Trump administration’s efforts to intimidate lawyers into backing off. We don’t want anyone to back off.”
He emphasized that this is especially important for the legal industry’s pro bono work.
“We are trying to set an example for others of continuing to do the pro bono work that’s necessary to defend the Constitution and represent folks who can’t afford to represent themselves otherwise.”
Read the full analysis at Law.com (paywall).