U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed his latest executive order against a prominent law firm, this time targeting Susman Godfrey, which represents Dominion Voting Systems in defamation cases related to the 2020 U.S. election.

Houston-based Susman Godfrey represented the electronic voting machine maker in its case against Fox News, which agreed in 2023 to a $787.5 million settlement.

White House aide Will Scharf said the order resembles previous actions the Trump administration has taken against law firms that it says have been involved in the "weaponization of government or actions of lawfare."

"There is no question that we will fight this unconstitutional order," Susman Godfrey said in a statement. "We believe in the rule of law, and we take seriously our duty to uphold it."

Susman Godfrey is also representing Dominion in defamation lawsuits against the president's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell, and others related to false claims that the 2020 election was rigged against Trump.

A Delaware judge issued a ruling in favor of Dominion and its lawyers at Susman on Wednesday in a similar case against Newsmax.

A Dominion spokesperson declined to comment on Trump's order.

Trump's order suspends any security clearances held by Susman Godfrey's 170 lawyers, restricts their access to government buildings and threatens to cancel federal contracts held by the firm's clients.

It accused the firm of undermining American interests and elections. Trump also alleged Susman engaged in discriminatory employment practices, including through a program offering opportunities for non-white students.

Trump in recent weeks issued similar executive orders against four other law firms that had connections to his legal or political adversaries.

Three of the firms - Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, and Jenner & Block - sued Trump's administration and won preliminary rulings that found the orders violated the U.S. Constitution. Another, Paul Weiss, reached a deal with Trump to rescind the order against it.

Susman Godfrey is representing a group of former senior government officials who are supporting Perkins Coie in its case against the administration. It was also one of 504 law firms that signed a court brief backing Perkins Coie's lawsuit last week.

"Although we do not take this step lightly, our abiding commitment to preserving the integrity of the American legal system leaves us no choice but to join together," the brief said.

Paul Weiss, as well as Skadden Arps, Milbank and Willkie Farr, have agreed in deals with Trump to donate the equivalent of millions of dollars in free legal work to causes approved by his administration.

Trump has said more firms are seeking similar deals. "They're all lining up," he said at a White House event on Monday. During Wednesday's order signing, he said "we have another five to go," though it was unclear if he was discussing potential agreements with the firms or future orders against them.

The president last month directed the Justice Department to probe lawyers and law firms that handle immigration cases or that have sued the government over the past eight years – a group that includes many of the largest U.S. firms.

Reuters

Trump signs executive order targeting law firm Susman Godfrey