One year ago, Donald Trump launched his war on law firms with unconstitutional executive orders targeting firms he didn't like. Four firms fought back and won. Nine others capitulated, pledging over $1 billion in free legal services to Trump-favored causes. And 187 of the top 200 law firms said nothing.
Now, in an unprecedented move, Trump's Department of Justice dismissed its own appeal against the firms that fought back — only to reinstate it the very next morning. Marc Elias, who has practiced law for 30 years, explains why this has never happened before, what it means for the rule of law, and what it reveals about the DOJ's lack of independence from the White House.

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00:00 Trump’s War on Law Firms

01:10 A Year of Retaliation and Executive Orders

01:53 Targeting Perkins Coie

06:01 Paul Weiss Capitulates

10:45 The Silent Majority of Big Law

14:49 The Four Firms That Fought — And Won

17:22 DOJ Dismisses the Appeal

21:15 DOJ Reverses Itself in 24 Hours

25:36 Why Trump Got Angry

28:09 Why Letting the Appeal Proceed Could Backfire

30:38 A Reckoning for the Nine Firms

33:14 Who Stands Up — And Who Stays Silent

35:17 What You Can Do