The Boston Bar Association is deeply alarmed by the current administration’s increasing efforts to undermine the rule of law. Yesterday’s Executive Order targeting WilmerHale directs federal agencies to suspend security clearances for the firm’s employees, terminate government contracts, and restrict its staff’s access to federal buildings. This action represents a dangerous escalation in efforts to erode the independence of the legal profession and punish those who seek to hold the government to account.
WilmerHale has been a steadfast partner to the BBA and a pillar of Boston’s legal community. Its attorneys have long exemplified the highest ideals of our profession—not only through their client work but also through a deep and widely recognized commitment to pro bono advocacy and service.
Their impact is far-reaching. The BBA has proudly recognized numerous attorneys, including those at WilmerHale, for their unwavering advocacy on behalf of vulnerable populations. They have worked with the BBA to increase legal access for underserved veterans, championed children with psychiatric disorders, advocated tirelessly for death penalty inmates, and provided representation for Guantanamo Bay detainees.
WilmerHale attorneys have also consistently mentored young lawyers, educated peers within the profession, and devoted significant time to BBA initiatives such as the Summer Jobs Program and Public Interest Leadership Program. Now, this same dedication to the rule of law and professional excellence has made them a target.
This Executive Order is not an isolated incident. In recent months, the administration has issued a number of executive orders targeting law firms that challenge its authority, including in an especially alarming Presidential Memorandum issued on March 22, 2025. That memorandum first targeted lawyers representing political opponents, then broadened its scope to other practice areas—suggesting that any attorney who challenges the administration is suspect. It uses the power of the federal government to level baseless accusations, chill essential legal advocacy, and silence those who defend fundamental rights.
As WilmerHale powerfully stated in their challenge to the order:
“The government has no authority to punish lawyers or law firms simply for providing vigorous, good-faith representation to clients who challenge the government’s policies or actions.”
This principle is not new—it is foundational. The Boston Bar Association was founded by John Adams, who famously defended British soldiers after the Boston Massacre, not because he agreed with them, but because he believed in the rule of law and the right to a fair defense. That legacy continues today.
The BBA is proud to stand with WilmerHale as it challenges this sweeping Executive Order, as we support any firm in standing up to similar unjust efforts. The firm’s longstanding commitment to professional excellence, public service, and integrity reflects the very values that bind us together as a profession. Efforts to punish lawyers for doing their jobs are not just attacks on one firm—they are attacks on the rule of law itself.
