Law firms are scared to speak out amid Trump’s attacks on their livelihood

The fear and loathing among lawyers in Washington, DC, has never been greater.

The fear and loathing among lawyers in Washington, DC, has never been greater. After a series of White House executive orders threatening their business and hiring practices, several powerful Washington law firms face a defining choice: push back publicly in defense of their industry or quietly hope to avoid President Donald Trump’s wrath. Many firms are afraid that if they are targeted by Trump, it could devastate their business if both clients and partners flee, reconfiguring  the centers of power in Washington’s most influential private industry. “We could see a shakeup like we’ve never seen before,” Ivan Adler, a headhunter for lobbyists who regularly works with Washington’s law firms. “This is the talk of the town. Firms are just waiting for the other shoe to drop.” Interviews with nearly a dozen lawyers and legal industry professionals shed light on the quiet fear gripping many law firms with decades of history doing business in Washington. A number of major firms are strategizing behind the scenes on how to react without attracting attention in wider political conversations, according to several people in Washington’s legal community. Firm leaders, sources tell CNN, want to quell fears among their lawyers, especially younger associates who may be more likely to want the firms to take a stand politically against Trump.