{"id":2580555,"date":"2026-03-16T19:17:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T23:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/court-allows-doj-to-proceed-with-appeal-over-law-firm-executive-orders\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T19:21:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T23:21:32","slug":"court-allows-doj-to-proceed-with-appeal-over-law-firm-executive-orders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/court-allows-doj-to-proceed-with-appeal-over-law-firm-executive-orders\/","title":{"rendered":"Court allows DOJ to proceed with appeal over law firm executive orders"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcourt-allows-doj-to-proceed-with-appeal-over-law-firm-executive-orders%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2580555&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-court-is-fast-tracking-sidney-powells-request-for-a-forensic-exam-of-dominion-voting-machines\/\" title=\"Federal ... Is Fast...Tracking Sidney Powell\u2019s ... For A Forensic Exam Of Dominion Voting Machines\">federal appeals court<\/a> in the District of Columbia Circuit granted the Justice Department\u2019s request to withdraw a motion to voluntarily dismiss the appeals challenging Trump-era executive orders targeting several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/is-big-tech-bum-rushing-the-supreme-court-on-censorship\/\" title=\"Is Big Tech Bum Rushing The Supreme ... On Censorship?\">major law firms<\/a>, clearing the way for the government to pursue its challenge to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-to-hear-challenge-to-two-biden-vaccine-mandates-january-7\/\" title=\"Supreme ... to Hear Challenge to Two Biden Vaccine Mandates January 7\">lower-court rulings<\/a> that invalidated the orders.The orders would restrict these firms\u2019 access to federal buildings, suspend attorneys\u2019 security clearances, and require contractors to disclose hiring relationships, as part of a broader attempt to penalize firms that represented clients opposing the administration.The DOJ\u2019s strategy has shifted multiple times in recent weeks, first signaling a dismissal and then reversing course to defend the executive orders, culminating in a March 6 filing arguing why the president\u2019s Article II authority justifies the challenge and linking it to related security-clearance disputes, including one involving attorney Mark Zaid. Lawyers for the firms argue the measures amount to unconstitutional retaliation for representing clients who disagreed with the administration. With the latest order, the case will proceed in the D.C.Circuit, where the administration seeks to reinstate the executive orders and overturn the lower-court rulings.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Court allows DOJ to proceed with appeal over law firm executive orders<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2532069\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A federal appeals court on Monday handed the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration<\/a> a procedural victory in its fight to revive <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/executive-orders\/\">executive orders<\/a> targeting several major law firms, allowing the government to continue its appeal of lower court rulings that struck down the measures.<\/p>\n<p>In a brief <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.cadc.42183\/gov.uscourts.cadc.42183.01208830899.0_1.pdf\">order<\/a>, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a>&rsquo;s request to withdraw an earlier motion that would have voluntarily dismissed the case, clearing the way for the administration to pursue its challenge to the rulings blocking the orders after a public flip-flop on whether it wanted the legal battle to continue. <\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4493188\/appeals-court-trump-win-third-country-deportation-policy\/\">Appeals court hands Trump win on third-country deportation policy<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4493198\/bank-of-america-settles-lawsuit-by-jeffrey-epstein-accusers\/\">Bank of America settles lawsuit brought by Jeffrey Epstein accusers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4493093\/democrats-refer-kristi-noem-doj-perjury-congressional-hearings\/\">Democrats refer Kristi Noem to DOJ for perjury during congressional hearings<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A banner with a portrait of President Donald Trump is hung from the Department of Justice, Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jose Luis Magana)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The short appeals court order came in a consolidated appeal involving lawsuits brought by several prominent firms, including Perkins Coie, against the DOJ and other federal officials.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Upon consideration of appellants&rsquo; motion to withdraw their motion to voluntarily dismiss these appeals, it is ordered that the motion to withdraw be granted,&rdquo; the court wrote in the one-page order directing the clerk to update the docket. The decision allows the Trump administration to continue the case unabated. <\/p>\n<p>The orders applied to Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Jenner &amp; Block, and Susman Godfrey and seek to restrict the firms&rsquo; access to federal buildings and officials, suspend security clearances held by their attorneys, and require government contractors to disclose whether they had hired the firms.<\/p>\n<p>However, the administration&rsquo;s legal strategy has shifted several times in recent weeks, creating a web of confusion and uncertainty about the fate of the law firms&rsquo; executive order legal challenge.<\/p>\n<p>It all started on March 2, when DOJ lawyers told the D.C. Circuit that they <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4478070\/justice-department-abandons-defense-trump-executive-orders-targeting-law-firms\/\">planned to voluntarily dismiss<\/a> the appeals of lower court decisions invalidating the executive orders. But within 24 hours, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4478653\/doj-will-defend-trump-executive-orders-targeting-law-firms\/\">the department reversed course<\/a>, asking the court to withdraw that dismissal request so the appeals could proceed.<\/p>\n<p>In a March 6 filing that was already due just days after the government&rsquo;s back-and-forth reversal, DOJ lawyers <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.cadc.42183\/gov.uscourts.cadc.42183.01208828488.1_1.pdf\">filed a 369-page joint appendix<\/a> to the appeals court explaining why it should overturn the lower court that sided against the executive order, while defending the scope of the president&rsquo;s Article II authority.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Courts cannot tell the President what to say. Courts cannot tell the President what not to say,&rdquo; Justice Department attorney Abhishek Kambli wrote in part. &ldquo;They cannot tell the President how to handle national security clearances. And they cannot interfere with Presidential directives instructing agencies to investigate racial discrimination that <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >violates federal civil rights laws<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The DOJ has argued the appeal in this case <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4435531\/doj-seeks-pause-law-firm-executive-order-cases-pending-decision-mark-zaid-appeal\/\">has a direct through-line with a separate executive order<\/a> targeting the revocation of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dr-oz-says-he-will-forego-security-clearances-to-keep-dual-turkish-citizenship\/\" title=\"Dr. Oz Says He Will Forego Security Clearances to Keep Dual Turkish Citizenship\">specific security clearances<\/a>, including a pending appeal involving attorney <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4464500\/doj-says-judge-wrong-mark-zaid-clearance-restored\/\">Mark Zaid<\/a>, who represented the Ukrainian whistleblower connected to Trump&rsquo;s first impeachment in 2019. A district judge in January ordered Zaid&rsquo;s clearance restored, and the matter is currently on a separate appeals track.<\/p>\n<p>It is not immediately clear why the DOJ initially planned to retreat from defending the executive orders. President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> reportedly said &ldquo;I never signed off on that&rdquo; and ordered the DOJ to resume defending the executive orders, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/politics\/policy\/trump-ordered-justice-department-reversal-on-law-firm-sanctions-f137f164?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdt_DtsfdFICdq5UvrWfySG2H4nMNyJFdJv6ppNOw7CI8jj9dukoYKQVgOMdvo%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69b87772&amp;gaa_sig=3hhH1Qty2qWd4MvKQrCU5IGmrkSZE18BrDbWHIpbDhlnkmSMBX2lLhENzXlUHUFWN-4tIPAFtj8iA2Jm2WOM9A%3D%3D\">according<\/a> to the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Federal district court judges initially blocked the measures in a series of sharply worded rulings, with one judge describing an order as &ldquo;cringe-worthy&rdquo; and another likening it to a &ldquo;screed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The law firms still challenging the orders, meanwhile, have argued they are being subjugated to unconstitutional retaliation that punished them for representing clients and employing lawyers who had opposed Trump.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/kaelan-deese\/page\/3\/\">DOJ REVERSES COURSE AND WILL DEFEND TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS TARGETING LAW FIRMS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>At least five additional law firms, including <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3421694\/top-lawyers-leaving-paul-weiss-after-firm-deal-trump\/\">Paul Weiss<\/a>, had the order against their firms rescinded after agreeing to provide <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3378554\/5-law-firms-deal-trump-600-million-pro-bono-work-avoid-punishment\/\">hundreds of millions of dollars<\/a> in legal services supporting causes backed by the administration.<\/p>\n<p>With Monday&rsquo;s order, the case will now proceed in the D.C. Circuit, where the Trump administration will attempt to persuade the appellate court to reinstate the executive orders and reverse the lower court rulings that invalidated them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paraphrase (\u226455 chars): Court allows DOJ to appeal law-firm orders.<\/p>\n<p>Would you like a longer paraphrase of the full article as well?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2580556,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26066586205458.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7584,4733,7076,74959,75931],"class_list":["post-2580555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-appeal","tag-court","tag-doj","tag-executive-orders-2","tag-law-firm-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26066586205458.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2580555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2580555"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2580555\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2580559,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2580555\/revisions\/2580559"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2580556"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2580555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2580555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2580555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}