Trump Administration Silent on Law Firm Penalties After Court Losses

The Trump administration typically acts swiftly to contest unfavorable court decisions. In recent instances where courts blocked the President's tariff plans and his attempt to control National Guard troops in California, government lawyers promptly filed appeals. Furthermore, the administration has submitted 19 emergency applications to the Supreme Court since the start of the President's term.

However, the administration's legal team has taken no action to challenge a series of negative rulings. These rulings rejected Mr. Trump's efforts to penalize prominent law firms. The President had accused these firms of "conduct detrimental to critical American interests" for representing clients and causes that he disapproved of.

According to W. Bradley Wendel, a law professor at Cornell and an expert in legal ethics, the administration's unusual litigation strategy is revealing. He suggests that the administration anticipated losing these cases from the outset. The goal, he believes, was not to win in court but to pressure firms into settling, a tactic that proved successful with several firms. The fact that the administration has not appealed the four district court losses is unsurprising, as Wendel believes they never considered these cases to be strong legal positions.