The US Department of Justice has issued subpoenas and deposition requests to law firms that struck capitulation deals with Donald Trump during his second term, after the American Bar Association (ABA) demanded documents in a lawsuit alleging an unlawful “law‑firm intimidation policy.” The DOJ said it was reinforcing its claim that the ABA should obtain the material from its own members, a move many saw as a “middle finger” to the legal industry.

Firms split between those that fought the administration—Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Wilmer Hale, Susman Godfrey—and those that capitulated, such as Kirkland & Ellis, Paul Weiss, Skadden, Simpson Thacher, Latham & Watkins and A&O Shearman. The subpoenas focus on communications about the negotiations that led to the deals, meaning firms that resisted may have less material to produce. Many leaders fear that handing over years of emails or sitting for depositions could damage their reputations and independence.

Last year, the capitulating firms offered hundreds of millions in free legal services for Trump‑favoured causes and agreed to roll back diversity programmes to avoid further executive action. The DOJ’s demands reopen a rift that had begun to fade after firms reached settlements, and some are now seeking to negotiate narrower requests or quash the subpoenas entirely.

Lawyers report feeling blindsided by the DOJ’s move and questioning whether the ABA’s intervention has revived a dormant issue. The administration’s rationale remains unclear, and firms weigh the risk of a public clash against the need to limit exposure. The ABA declined to comment on the matter.