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ABA, more than 50 bar associations condemn ‘government actions that seek to twist the scales of justice’

By Debra Cassens Weiss

March 26, 2025, 9:43 am CDT

More than 50 state, local and specialty bar associations have joined with the ABA to “defend the rule of law and reject efforts to undermine the courts and the legal profession.”

A March 26 statement released by the groups does not mention President Donald Trump, but it follows his punitive attacks on disfavored law firms and calls to impeach judges he perceives as antagonistic.

“We support the right of people to advance their interests in courts of law when they have been wronged,” the statement said. “We reject the notion that the U.S. government can punish lawyers and law firms who represent certain clients or punish judges who rule certain ways. We cannot accept government actions that seek to twist the scales of justice in this manner.

“We reject efforts to undermine the courts and the profession. We will not stay silent in the face of efforts to remake the legal profession into something that rewards those who agree with the government and punishes those who do not.”

The statement calls upon “the entire profession, including lawyers in private practice from Main Street to Wall Street, as well as those in corporations and who serve in elected positions, to speak out against intimidation.”

The statement is signed by these bar associations:

  • The American Bar Association

  • The Alameda County (California) Bar Association

  • The Alexandria (Virginia) Bar Association

  • The Allegheny County Bar Association (Pennsylvania)

  • The Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers

  • The Bar Association of Erie County (New York)

  • The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

  • The Berks County (Pennsylvania) Bar Association

  • The Boston Bar Association

  • The Boulder County (Colorado) Bar Association

  • The Chicago Bar Association

  • The Chicago Council of Lawyers

  • The Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

  • The Columbus (Ohio) Bar Association

  • The Connecticut Bar Association

  • The Contra Costa (California) County Bar Association

  • The Detroit Bar Association and Foundation

  • The Erie County (Pennsylvania) Bar Association

  • The First Judicial District Bar Association (Colorado)

  • The Hennepin County (Minnesota) Bar Association

  • The Hispanic National Bar Association

  • The Hudson County (New Jersey) Bar Association

  • The Illinois State Bar Association

  • The Kansas Bar Association

  • The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association

  • The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation

  • The Lawyers Club of San Diego

  • The Long Beach (California) Bar Association

  • The Louisville Bar Association

  • The Maine State Bar Association

  • The Middlesex County (New Jersey) Bar Association

  • The Milwaukee Bar Association

  • The Minnesota State Bar Association

  • The Monroe County (New York) Bar Association

  • The eNassau County (New York) Bar Association

  • The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

  • The National Association of Women Lawyers

  • The National Conference of Bar Presidents

  • The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association

  • The National Native American Bar Association

  • The New Jersey Women Lawyers Association

  • The New Mexico Black Lawyers Association

  • The New York City Bar Association

  • The New York County Lawyers Association

  • The North County (California) Bar Association

  • The board of governors of the Oregon State Bar

  • The Passaic County (New Jersey) Bar Association

  • The Philadelphia Bar Association

  • The Queens County (New York) Bar Association

  • The Ramsey County (Minnesota) Bar Association

  • The San Diego County Bar Association

  • The San Fernando Valley (California) Bar Association

  • The Santa Clara County Bar Association (California)

  • The South Asian Bar Association of North America

  • The State Bar of New Mexico

  • The Virgin Islands Bar Association

  • The board of governors of the Washington State Bar Association

  • Worcester County (Massachusetts) Bar Association

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