Copy and paste the letter below into your word processing software and then replace the placeholder text with your personal information and the date or download a version in Word and personalize it that way.
Don’t forget to make this letter your own by adding your personal story and concerns.
[ Your Name ]
[ Your Street ]
[ Your City, State, Zip ]
[ Today’s Date, Eg: November 15, 2025 ]
Ms. Kathleen Marie Sweet
President, New York State Bar Association
1 Elk Street
Albany, NY 12224
Dear Ms. Sweet:
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the conduct of several of America’s largest and most prestigious law firms who are either based in New York or maintain significant offices in your state.
Several months ago, the Trump Administration threatened several prominent law firms that had represented clients or causes disfavored by the President. Specifically, the President ordered that certain law firms be barred from federal buildings and be blacklisted from federal contracts based solely on advocacy of the firm on behalf of its clients. This attempt to interfere with a lawyer’s independence and its duty of undivided loyalty to the client was met with shock and outrage by courts and practitioners. Many of the targeted firms properly concluded that Trump’s demands were unlawful and would undermine their ability to discharge their ethical duties. Some firms rejected Trump’s demands and successfully challenged Trump’s actions in court.
Unfortunately, several of our nation’s oldest and best-known firms, including chose a different path, offering to “settle” with the administration, permitting the President to dictate which clients and causes the firm will represent. It has been reported that, collectively, these firms have promised to perform nearly one billion dollars’ worth of free legal services on behalf of clients and causes favored by the Trump Administration. If this reporting is accurate, it is a shocking display of capitulation and cowardice by some of the largest and best-known firms in America. The promise made by each of these firms to provide free legal services was made in consideration for the Trump Administration’s promise of favorable treatment that will inure to the financial benefit of the settling law firms, thus a “quid pro quo.” Any representation made by the firm to the public or to any taxing or regulatory authority that these legal services qualify as “pro bono publico”’ would be false and misleading, meriting investigation and possible sanctions imposed by the New York Bar Association.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
[ Your Name ]
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