If you’re like me, you have been scared to read the newspaper (the few who still do) or check your favorite online news source to learn what the Trump administration has done and continues to do to the legal profession.

I won’t repeat what most of you already know, but suffice it to say, the executive orders targeting major law firms (e.g., Perkins Coie) and the pro bono and DEI settlements reached by others (e.g., Skadden) threaten to erode public trust in the legal system itself.

However, unless they practice in Biglaw (only about 15% of our profession), these actions probably have had no impact on the day-to-day practice of most practicing attorneys. While hardly a representative sample, anecdotally, none of my consulting lawyer and law firm clients have complained about any adverse business effect from the executive orders.

Don’t get me wrong; I am well aware that other actions taken by the Trump administration have had huge impacts on certain practice areas (e.g., immigration, tariffs, etc.). However, few of those actions go to the very core of what it means to be a lawyer, as the Biglaw executive orders do.

Speaking Truth to Power

If you’re like me, you have also probably asked yourself, “What can I do?” Last week, I read a post by Camille Stell at Attorney at Work, that does just that. The title is “Speaking Truth to Power: The Biglaw Response to Executive Orders and the Emerging Resistance.” You can and should read it here. I won’t repeat her suggestions, but the main takeaway is to speak up and educate.

Here’s what I plan to do. I will see what my state bar is doing and see how I can help. I also hope that I have encouraged you to read Camille’s post so you, too, can plan to do something to help the profession push back against the Trump administration. It’s easy, as an individual, to feel powerless. But this honorable profession is made up of millions of individuals, and if we all do our small part, we can achieve great things.