Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
In Suits and Ties, Lawyers Protest Trump's Attacks on the Legal System
In Suits and Ties, Lawyers Protest Trump’s Attacks on the Legal System
The National Law Day of Action, which drew roughly 1,500 people in New York City, was organized to resist the president’s threats against judges and the nation’s jurisprudence.
Hundreds of lawyers came to Manhattan’s federal courthouse to stand up for the rule of law. They recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Victor J. Blue for The New York Times
By Santul Nerkar
May 1, 2025
Updated 5:55 p.m. ET
The crowd of protesters that packed Foley Square in downtown Manhattan on Thursday was as raucous as any demonstration in a politically vociferous city. It was, however, decidedly more wonky and dapper. … About 1,500 demonstrators, many of them lawyers sporting business attire, jammed the plaza outside Manhattan’s federal courthouse as part of the National Law Day of Action, chanting in favor of the rule of law and hoisting pocket Constitutions to the sky.
It was one of around 50 similar actions around the nation on Thursday, led by lawyers who said President Trump was threatening the foundation of America’s legal system. … “The rule of law protects us all. Without it we will surely fall,” the crowd chanted.
In his second term, Mr. Trump has aimed to hobble elite law firms, threatened to impeach judges and ignored their orders. For many in the profession, his actions have presented an unpalatable choice between compromising their values by staying silent and facing professional risk by speaking out.
{snip}
In Los Angeles, Michele Anderson, a former prosecutor, said jurists were uniquely positioned to preserve American jurisprudence. … “If lawyers cannot stand up for the rule of law and for justice, who can?” Ms. Anderson said. … “We will not cower to a tyrant,” she added.
Orlando Mayorquín contributed reporting from Los Angeles.
Santul Nerkar is a Times reporter covering federal courts in Brooklyn.
A version of this article appears in print on May 2, 2025, Section A, Page 12 of the New York edition with the headline: In Foley Square, Lawyers Rally to Support the Rule of Law. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
The National Law Day of Action, which drew roughly 1,500 people in New York City, was organized to resist the president’s threats against judges and the nation’s jurisprudence.
Hundreds of lawyers came to Manhattan’s federal courthouse to stand up for the rule of law. They recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Victor J. Blue for The New York Times
By Santul Nerkar
May 1, 2025
Updated 5:55 p.m. ET
The crowd of protesters that packed Foley Square in downtown Manhattan on Thursday was as raucous as any demonstration in a politically vociferous city. It was, however, decidedly more wonky and dapper. … About 1,500 demonstrators, many of them lawyers sporting business attire, jammed the plaza outside Manhattan’s federal courthouse as part of the National Law Day of Action, chanting in favor of the rule of law and hoisting pocket Constitutions to the sky.
It was one of around 50 similar actions around the nation on Thursday, led by lawyers who said President Trump was threatening the foundation of America’s legal system. … “The rule of law protects us all. Without it we will surely fall,” the crowd chanted.
In his second term, Mr. Trump has aimed to hobble elite law firms, threatened to impeach judges and ignored their orders. For many in the profession, his actions have presented an unpalatable choice between compromising their values by staying silent and facing professional risk by speaking out.
{snip}
In Los Angeles, Michele Anderson, a former prosecutor, said jurists were uniquely positioned to preserve American jurisprudence. … “If lawyers cannot stand up for the rule of law and for justice, who can?” Ms. Anderson said. … “We will not cower to a tyrant,” she added.
Orlando Mayorquín contributed reporting from Los Angeles.
Santul Nerkar is a Times reporter covering federal courts in Brooklyn.
A version of this article appears in print on May 2, 2025, Section A, Page 12 of the New York edition with the headline: In Foley Square, Lawyers Rally to Support the Rule of Law. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe