Legal Ethics
53 Articles

Blanche Is Targeting the D.C. Bar to Remove Ethical Guardrails for the Justice Department
Legal ethics expert warns Acting AG Todd Blanche's lawsuit against the DC Bar is part of a broader campaign to free DOJ lawyers from the ethical rules governing their peers.

The Last Check: Magistrate Judges and Federal Seizures of Election Records
A magistrate judge's review of a search-warrant application may be the last meaningful safeguard against federal interference in an election.

Attacks on U.S. Legal Profession Reflect Global Slide in Countries It Once Aided
Political pressures like those used to silence legal professionals and undermine rule of law in Europe and Eurasia echo patterns of the autocratic playbook.

On the Role of State Department Career Attorneys
Ascribing indifference or, at worst, malevolent motives to career attorneys who are unable to refute such claims as they are bound by privilege is truly disappointing.

From Bench to Ballot: Judicial Integrity and Political Ambition at the ICJ
ICJ president Nawaf Salam's resignation demonstrates why clear ethical boundaries are essential to the Court’s continued authority and legitimacy.

No, the President Cannot Enforce the Law-Firm Deals
"First, are these agreements legally enforceable? Second, if not, what principled reasons do the firms have for keeping their part of these bargains?"

No, the President Cannot Issue Bills of Attainder
Trump orders functioning as bills of attainder are prohibited by the Constitution and repugnant to its separation of powers.

The New “Blacklists” Work When Law Firms Stay Silent
In a recent internal memo, Brad Karp, the chairman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, defended the firm’s refusal to challenge a presidential executive order targeting…

The Just Security Podcast: Politicization and Weaponization of the Justice Department in the Second Trump Administration
Just Security recently published a timeline of actions regarding the level of politicization and weaponization of the Department of Justice.

Timeline: Politicization and Weaponization of Justice Department in Second Trump Administration
A detailed chronology of January 20, 2025 - present.

The Just Security Podcast: Repression of Lawyers in Belarus and Around the World
Nils Muiznieks, Maksim Polovinko, and Margaret Satterthwaite join the show to discuss the repression lawyers face in Belarus.

Solidarity Needed Amid Stranglehold on Belarusian Lawyers
Belarusian lawyers face severe threats under a near-total State-controlled legal system with hundreds disbarred or exiled simply for doing their jobs.