American Bar Association cites members’ needs in Law Firm Intimidation hearing
In steadfast support of its members and the legal profession at large, the American Bar Association continues its efforts to combat industry-chilling attacks on the profession, asking a federal court to enjoin enforcement of the current administration’s unlawful policy of intimidation against lawyers and law firms.
A hearing in the case was held last Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“When the White House last year issued its executive orders targeting firms for taking on work or hiring people the federal government disfavored, the shock it sent through the profession was swift, significant and chilling,” said ABA President Michelle A. Behnke. “As the national representative of the legal community, we were compelled to stand up and do the right thing.”
The ABA in June sued more than two dozen federal departments and agencies and the heads of those departments and agencies, arguing that the government, through a series of executive orders, memos, public statements and other means, has levied an ongoing policy of Law Firm Intimidation to punish lawyers and law firms whose representation it disfavors.
The lawsuit notes that the federal government’s Law Firm Intimidation policy has harmed members of the legal profession in a number of ways — from putting a damper on certain types of pro bono work to disrupting essential aspects of the business, such as access to all federal buildings including courthouses. These impacts ripple throughout the justice system at large and limit access to representation for individuals and organizations whose positions the administration disfavors.
The ABA filed this action to protect all its members, representing a far broader section of the legal profession than just the law firms that have so far successfully challenged the federal government’s efforts against them specifically.
“We are in a time of crisis for our legal system and the need for the ABA to stand up and defend our members, our profession and the rule of law could not be more pressing,” Behnke said.
The hearing last Wednesday focused on the government’s motion to dismiss the case. The court heard arguments from both sides and said a written decision would be issued. The complaint in the case, American Bar Association v. Executive Office of the President et al, can be viewed at www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/news/2025/aba-v-exec-ofc-potus-et-al.pdf.
A hearing in the case was held last Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“When the White House last year issued its executive orders targeting firms for taking on work or hiring people the federal government disfavored, the shock it sent through the profession was swift, significant and chilling,” said ABA President Michelle A. Behnke. “As the national representative of the legal community, we were compelled to stand up and do the right thing.”
The ABA in June sued more than two dozen federal departments and agencies and the heads of those departments and agencies, arguing that the government, through a series of executive orders, memos, public statements and other means, has levied an ongoing policy of Law Firm Intimidation to punish lawyers and law firms whose representation it disfavors.
The lawsuit notes that the federal government’s Law Firm Intimidation policy has harmed members of the legal profession in a number of ways — from putting a damper on certain types of pro bono work to disrupting essential aspects of the business, such as access to all federal buildings including courthouses. These impacts ripple throughout the justice system at large and limit access to representation for individuals and organizations whose positions the administration disfavors.
The ABA filed this action to protect all its members, representing a far broader section of the legal profession than just the law firms that have so far successfully challenged the federal government’s efforts against them specifically.
“We are in a time of crisis for our legal system and the need for the ABA to stand up and defend our members, our profession and the rule of law could not be more pressing,” Behnke said.
The hearing last Wednesday focused on the government’s motion to dismiss the case. The court heard arguments from both sides and said a written decision would be issued. The complaint in the case, American Bar Association v. Executive Office of the President et al, can be viewed at www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/news/2025/aba-v-exec-ofc-potus-et-al.pdf.
ABA TECHSHOW 2026 to focus on AI use in law firms, tech trends and the future of the legal profession
Programs offering tips and a better understanding of artificial intelligence will be the highlight at the ABA TECHSHOW 2026, which spotlights the most useful and practical technologies available in the legal industry, March 25-28 at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Chicago, 2233 S. Martin Luther King Dr. in Chicago.
The show, sponsored by the American Bar Association Law Practice Division, will feature nearly 60 panels and presentations covering everything from AI and cloud-based technology to scams and the rule of law for lawyers and legal and tech professionals.
Legal futurist Jordan Furlong will be the keynote speaker on Thursday, March 26, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Furlong is a forecaster and analyst of trends and developments in the global legal market, a strategic consultant to law firms and legal organizations and a renowned author and speaker in the field of legal services evolution. The keynote is entitled “The Lawyers We’ll Need: Preparing the Legal Profession for a Post-AI World.”
Nilay Patel will be the keynote speaker, on Friday, March 27, at 4:30 p.m. Patel is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Verge, the technology and culture brand from Vox Media. Nilay practiced law before his journalism career and brings this perspective as he analyzes the intersection of law, technology and innovation. The title of his keynote is “Law and AI: The Next Frontier for the Industry and the Profession.”
For the 10th consecutive year, ABA TECHSHOW will host the Start-Up Pitch Competition, which will kick off on Wednesday, March 25, at 4 p.m. Fifteen legal startups will face off in the competition, judged by TECHSHOW attendees who will pick the most innovative startup for the year.
On Saturday, March 28, at 9 a.m., for the first time at TECHSHOW, three ABA presidents — ABA President Michelle A. Behnke, William R. “Bill” Bay, immediate past ABA president, and ABA President-elect Barbara J. Howard — will have a historic conversation on the rule of law, the pressures facing the legal system and the rapidly evolving impact of technology on the profession.
Other programs this year include:
• “Tech Stack: How to Evaluate, Compare and Choose the Right Tools”
• “Resilience in Times of Change: Thriving Through Transformation”
• “Digital Succession Planning: Transitioning Your Bits & Bytes”
• “Avoid an AI-Accelerated Hack at Your Law Firm”
• “Tech on Trial: Winning the Jury in a Digital and Visual Age”
• “Feeding the Machine: Boosting Your Visibility in AI-Powered Search”
• “Leading Through Tech: Managing People, Measuring Success”
• “Adobe Acrobat: Unlock AI and New Features for Legal Professionals”
• “Pros, Cons and Promises of Technology-Driven Dispute Resolution”
• “AI-Powered Automation for Litigators: Intake to Settlement”
• “Transforming Gut Feelings to Hard Facts with Data Analytics”
• “Mastering AI Notebook Tools to Extract Insights from Your Files and Notes”
• “Every Brief You Make I’ll Be Watching You — A Judge’s Reflections on Recent AI Developments”
For additional information on ABA TECHSHOW 2026, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/law_practice.
The show, sponsored by the American Bar Association Law Practice Division, will feature nearly 60 panels and presentations covering everything from AI and cloud-based technology to scams and the rule of law for lawyers and legal and tech professionals.
Legal futurist Jordan Furlong will be the keynote speaker on Thursday, March 26, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Furlong is a forecaster and analyst of trends and developments in the global legal market, a strategic consultant to law firms and legal organizations and a renowned author and speaker in the field of legal services evolution. The keynote is entitled “The Lawyers We’ll Need: Preparing the Legal Profession for a Post-AI World.”
Nilay Patel will be the keynote speaker, on Friday, March 27, at 4:30 p.m. Patel is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Verge, the technology and culture brand from Vox Media. Nilay practiced law before his journalism career and brings this perspective as he analyzes the intersection of law, technology and innovation. The title of his keynote is “Law and AI: The Next Frontier for the Industry and the Profession.”
For the 10th consecutive year, ABA TECHSHOW will host the Start-Up Pitch Competition, which will kick off on Wednesday, March 25, at 4 p.m. Fifteen legal startups will face off in the competition, judged by TECHSHOW attendees who will pick the most innovative startup for the year.
On Saturday, March 28, at 9 a.m., for the first time at TECHSHOW, three ABA presidents — ABA President Michelle A. Behnke, William R. “Bill” Bay, immediate past ABA president, and ABA President-elect Barbara J. Howard — will have a historic conversation on the rule of law, the pressures facing the legal system and the rapidly evolving impact of technology on the profession.
Other programs this year include:
• “Tech Stack: How to Evaluate, Compare and Choose the Right Tools”
• “Resilience in Times of Change: Thriving Through Transformation”
• “Digital Succession Planning: Transitioning Your Bits & Bytes”
• “Avoid an AI-Accelerated Hack at Your Law Firm”
• “Tech on Trial: Winning the Jury in a Digital and Visual Age”
• “Feeding the Machine: Boosting Your Visibility in AI-Powered Search”
• “Leading Through Tech: Managing People, Measuring Success”
• “Adobe Acrobat: Unlock AI and New Features for Legal Professionals”
• “Pros, Cons and Promises of Technology-Driven Dispute Resolution”
• “AI-Powered Automation for Litigators: Intake to Settlement”
• “Transforming Gut Feelings to Hard Facts with Data Analytics”
• “Mastering AI Notebook Tools to Extract Insights from Your Files and Notes”
• “Every Brief You Make I’ll Be Watching You — A Judge’s Reflections on Recent AI Developments”
For additional information on ABA TECHSHOW 2026, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/law_practice.
