Legal Slice

A new memorandum issued by President Donald Trump threatens to use government power to punish any law firms that, in his view, unfairly challenge his administration. The memo directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek sanctions against attorneys and law firms that file what Trump characterized as “frivolous, unreasonable, and vexatious” lawsuits against the federal government. The memo states: “Far too many attorneys and law firms have long ignored [ Rules of Professional Conduct 3.1 ] when litigating against the federal government or in pursuing baseless partisan attacks.” The memo also cites Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11, which prohibits lawyers from filing claims with improper motivations, lacking evidentiary support, or not grounded in existing law. Vanita Gupta, a civil rights lawyer and a former Justice Department official, said Trump’s memo “attacks the very foundations of our legal system by threatening and intimidating litigants who aim to hold our government accountable to the law and the Constitution.” A White House spokeswoman, Taylor Rogers, said: “President Trump is delivering on his promise to ensure the judicial system is no longer weaponized against the American people. President Trump’s only retribution is success and historic achievements for the American people.”