Hogan Lovells and Latham & Watkins among those to make online tweaks
The Law Society of England and Wales has joined a raft of legal organisations worldwide in signing a joint letter condemning the Trump administration’s recent actions against legal professionals, both internationally and within the US.
Published yesterday, the letter accuses the US government of “acts of intimidation, hindrance or harassment” targeting lawyers and legal institutions. The signatories express “dismay” over what they describe as “actions that violate international human rights law and undermine the rule of law”.
Signatories include the Paris Bar, the German Bar Association, the Law Council of Australia, and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute.
At the centre of the controversy is a 6 February executive order signed by Trump, which imposes sanctions on staff at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and their families — a move the letter argues punishes lawyers simply for doing their jobs. The measures, which include travel bans and asset freezes, were roundly criticised by UN experts and ICC member states, and are described in the letter as having a “chilling effect” on access to justice for victims of war crimes and other atrocities.
The signatories also raise concerns about escalating interference in the US domestic legal system, citing political pressure on federal prosecutors, the revocation of security clearances for lawyers representing controversial clients, and even direct attacks on the American Bar Association (ABA) by federal agencies.
“Lawyers must be able to represent their clients without fear of retaliation,” the statement reads, “and must not be punished because of who their clients are”. The organisations are urging the US to reverse its sanctions and respect the international principles safeguarding the independence of the legal profession.
The letter comes amid what many in the profession see as a broader campaign by the Trump administration to target diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in the legal industry. As Legal Cheek reported earlier this week, the administration has dramatically escalated its war on diversity in law, launching federal probes into the DEI policies of 20 major US and international firms, including some of the most recognisable names in London.
A&O Shearman, Freshfields, and Hogan Lovells are among those facing probes, with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) demanding detailed breakdowns of hiring and client practices. The move follows another executive order isolating firms that the administration views as politically hostile, particularly those representing clients critical of the government. Firms like Perkins Coie and Paul Weiss have already been caught in the crossfire.
In an open letter, thousands of US-based associates accused the administration of “creating a culture of fear” in which law firms are pressured to toe the political line or face the consequences.
The pressure exerted on law firms by the Trump administration has already led some major legal names to quietly adjust or remove DEI content from their websites
Law.com (£) reports that Hogan Lovells has renamed its “diversity, equity and inclusion” pages to “HL Inclusion”, removed references to LGBTQ+, disability and “institutional racism”, and replaced its DEI video with a message from its CEO. Meanwhile, Latham & Watkins has redirected its DEI webpage and removed language referencing institutional racism and its Diversity Leadership Committee. Its “diversity scholars program” has also been renamed the “pathways scholars program”.
Hogan Lovells declined to comment while Latham & Watkins didn’t respond to our request for comment.
These changes were reportedly made following the EEOC’s letters, which cite law firm websites extensively and request information on internships, partnership decisions, compensation and recruitment practices related to diversity.
The letters mark the first time the Trump administration has specifically targeted UK-founded global firms as part of its broader assault on corporate DEI initiatives.