Earlier in the year, President Donald Trump promulgated an executive order which targeted the Democrat-aligned law firm WilmerHale.

However, the president's order ran into trouble this week when a federal judge moved to strike it down as unconstitutional.

Judge says Trump's executive order threatens a "cornerstone" of the legal system

According to The Hill, that decision came in the form of a 73-page opinion issued on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon.

"This Order must be struck down in its entirety as unconstitutional,” Leon wrote. "Indeed, to rule otherwise would be unfaithful to the judgment and vision of the Founding Fathers."

Leon argued that Trump's order threatens the existence of independent attorneys who are willing to take on unpopular cases, something he described as a "cornerstone" of the American legal system.

The Hill noted that for its part, WilmerHale released a statement which welcomed Leon's ruling and expressed pride in its mission.

"The Court’s decision to permanently block the unlawful executive order in its entirety strongly affirms our foundational constitutional rights and those of our clients," the statement was quoted as saying.

Trump: Law firm "discriminates against its employees based on race"

In his March 27 executive order, Trump accused WilmerHale of having "abandoned the profession's highest ideals and abused its pro bono practice to engage in activities that undermine justice and the interests of the United States."

Judge strikes down Trump order against WilmerHale https://t.co/CVz2w2ZCp0

— The Hill (@thehill) May 27, 2025

This includes engaging "in obvious partisan representations to achieve political ends," such as supporting "efforts to discriminate on the basis of race."

"Moreover, WilmerHale itself discriminates against its employees based on race and other categories prohibited by civil rights laws, including through the use of race-based 'targets,'" Trump continued.

Order called for cancellation of government contracts and security clearance

The president further alleged that WilmerHale "backs the obstruction of efforts to prevent illegal aliens from committing horrific crimes and trafficking deadly drugs within our borders" and "and furthers the degradation of the quality of American elections" by fighting for the right of noncitizens to vote.

The order went on to call for the suspension of "any active security clearances held by individuals at WilmerHale, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest."

Additionally, it demanded the cancellation of federal contracts with WilmerHale as well as the prevention of any public "goods, property, material, and services" from being used for the law firm's benefit.