By Ben Meiselas
When I see so many major law firms cowering before Donald Trump and his authoritarian tactics, it’s easy to feel disheartened. But then I get to have conversations like the one I just had with John Keker and Elliot Peters of the powerhouse law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters — and I remember exactly why we fight.
These two legal legends didn’t just condemn Trump’s despicable executive orders targeting law firms — they led. Their firm put out a statement that didn’t mince words: Trump’s attacks on lawyers for doing their jobs are “inexcusable and despicable.” And they called on other firms to stand up, speak out, and stop being afraid.
Let’s be clear: Donald Trump is trying to bully the entire legal profession into submission. His latest string of executive orders have singled out law firms — from Covington & Burling to Perkins Coie — for daring to represent clients in cases he doesn’t like. He’s using the tools of government not to serve justice, but to settle personal vendettas. It’s a fascist playbook, plain and simple.
And instead of fighting back, too many firms are folding. We saw Paul Weiss enter into a grotesque "settlement" with Trump that amounted to a public shaming — agreeing to give him $40 million in pro bono legal services and throwing their own under the bus. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom agreed to provide more than $100 million in pro bono work for initiatives backed by his regime. It’s disgraceful.
But Keker, Van Nest & Peters didn’t flinch. In fact, they moved faster than anyone — crafting their response the very morning the executive order dropped. As Elliot Peters told me, "Lawyers need to stop being timid... I don't think clients want lawyers that surrender."
He’s right. And if you're in a law firm, now is not the time to hide behind silence. It's time to link arms and fight for the very foundation of our democracy: the rule of law. As John Keker put it, “If you're good, you're going to be okay. Don't let a bully push you around.” Amen to that.
I’m honored we could amplify their voices on the MeidasTouch Network. Because people need to see that not everyone is capitulating. Not everyone is scared. And if you're reading this, I want you to know — we’re not scared either.
Trump wants to break the legal system, just like he wants to break the press, the courts, and every guardrail of our democracy. We cannot let him. So let this be a message not just to the legal profession, but to every American: it’s time to fight back. Stand up. Speak out. And don’t you dare back down.
We’ve got the truth. We’ve got the people. And now, thanks to folks like Keker and Peters, we’ve got a reminder of what real courage looks like.
Let’s rise to the moment.
Let’s keep this momentum going. Add the MeidasTouch Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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