NYSBA President Calls Latest White House Directive an Assault on the Legal Profession
3.24.2025
Domenick Napoletano, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement today condemning the administration’s latest threat to the legal profession:
“A fundamental principle of our American legal system is that attorneys have a duty to be vigorous advocates for their clients. This ensures that all persons involved in our legal system are treated fairly and justly. All lawyers, including government lawyers, have a responsibility to ensure that any legal pleading filed, or argument made, has a basis of support in law and fact. Under our legal system, only a court of law can determine whether a lawsuit lacks merit, is frivolous, or sanctionable. President Trump’s threat to retaliate and seek sanctions against any lawyer or law firm who files a lawsuit against the U. S. government undermines our legal system. Further, the call for impeachment of any judge who rules against his administration violates the principle of an impartial and independent judiciary that is the foundation of our American democracy. The preemptive threat to extend draconian and punitive measures to any lawyer, law firm or judge who disagrees with the president or his positions is an assault on the entire legal profession, the judiciary, and our justice system. Lawyers and law firms must employ every legal means to put an immediate halt to this unjustified use of executive power and protect the independence of our legal profession, our courts, and our democracy.”
Read the Report and Recommendations of the New York State Bar Association Committee on Attorney Professionalism.
