Today's Supreme Court decision in Trump v. CASA, Inc. represents a dangerous departure from our founding principles and poses an existential threat to the rule of law itself. By restricting federal courts' ability to issue universal injunctions against unconstitutional government actions, the Court has created what Justice Jackson aptly called a "zone of lawlessness" where the Executive can violate constitutional rights with impunity.
L4GG Brings Suit on Behalf of Nonprofits, Tribes and Local Governments with Terminated EPA Grants
Washington, D.C. —Today, a coalition of nonprofits, Tribes and local governments sued the Trump administration for unlawfully terminating the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Environmental and Climate Justice (ECJ) Grant programs despite a Congressional directive to fund them.
The plaintiffs come from every region of the country and will be seeking class action certification and preliminary relief so that all 350 grant recipients who have been harmed by the wholesale termination of the EPA program may continue their initiatives. These community-based initiatives include improving climate disaster preparedness, expanding workforce development opportunities, improving and monitoring air quality, mitigating stormwater and flood damage, combating high energy costs, and improving community members’ ability to participate in decision-making and permitting processes that impact their health and environment.
Earthjustice, Southern Environmental Law Center, Public Rights Project, and Lawyers for Good Government filed the challenge on behalf of ECJ grant recipients to seek the nationwide restoration of the program and to require the administration to reinstate awarded grant agreements.
Statement from the Nation of Laws Coalition in Support of the American Bar Association's Lawsuit
L4GG's 2025 Spring Newsletter is Here!
Whether it’s helping hospitals deliver life-saving care in the face of restrictive abortion laws, ensuring communities can access the clean energy funding they’re owed, or expanding legal pathways for asylum seekers - L4GG is stepping in where justice is most urgently needed. Moreover on May 1, more than 10,000 lawyers and advocates rallied in over 50 cities to defend the rule of law—an effort L4GG helped build from the ground up. And with the launch of our Impact Docket, our community is turning action into outcomes every two weeks.
Starve, Wait, or Go Back: The Cruelty Behind the Attack on Asylum Work Permits
The Trump administration is preparing a new rule that would block asylum seekers from obtaining work permits while their cases are pending. If enacted, this change would eliminate one of the only remaining lifelines in the U.S. asylum system. For over 30 years, asylum seekers have been able to apply for work permits after a certain waiting period. This proposal would undo that—turning survival into a privilege, and waiting into a punishment.
A blog post by Estuardo Cifuentes, Project Corazon Program Manager
URGENT: Join Us to Stop a Dangerous Bill That Threatens Our Communities
The U.S. House of Representatives is preparing to vote on a bill that would do real, lasting harm to millions of people across this country.
We’re talking about a massive giveaway to billionaires—paid for by gutting essential services, expanding funding for ICE, and destroying key environmental protections.
Here’s how to take action!
House GOP Budget Proposals Would Devastate Clean Energy Progress, Environmental Justice Initiatives
House GOP Budget Proposals Would Devastate Clean Energy Progress, Environmental Justice Initiatives
L4GG Warns of Direct Assault on Clean Air, Clean Water, and American Communities Through Proposed Cuts to IRA and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
WASHINGTON (May 13, 2025) — In response to the House Ways and Means Committee's draft tax bill and the broader Republican budget reconciliation proposals that would drastically cut clean energy and environmental justice programs, Jillian Blanchard, Vice President of the Climate Change and Environmental Justice Program at Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG), issued the following statement:
“The text for Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill is a direct assault on clean air, clean water, and the right of every American to live in a safe and healthy environment. It’s not just a budget cut—it’s a reckless, lawless attempt to strip funding from programs that Congress has supported on a bipartisan basis for decades. Republicans are trying to wipe out billions in climate funding that is creating jobs, reducing energy costs for everyday Americans, and building resilience in communities devastated by storms.
They’re gutting clean energy tax credits across the board—slashing support for solar, wind, electric vehicles, home efficiency, and domestic manufacturing. By weaponizing the budget process, Republicans are using a sledgehammer and pretending it’s a scalpel, proposing complex eligibility measures and abruptly phasing out programs that will raise costs, kill jobs, and freeze new investments communities are just beginning to realize.
This is a radical maneuver to destroy our advances on clean energy and environmental justice, cloaked in a misleading, bad-faith GOP argument that it only eliminates duplicative programs. It will have devastating, lasting consequences for our environment, our economy, and our health, allowing polluters and their allies in Congress to reverse decades of progress.””
National Law Day of Action: Over 10,000 Legal Professionals Stand United for the Rule of Law
On May 1, 2025, known as Law Day, history was made as the legal community came together in an unprecedented display of unity and purpose. Over 10,000 lawyers, judges, and legal professionals across 50+ cities participated in the National Law Day of Action, ceremonially reaffirming their oath to defend the Constitution and uphold the rule of law.
Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) and the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) were joined by other national partners ABA’s Checks and Balances project and Lawyers Defending American Democracy in providing national coordination and organization to the campaign. For weeks prior to law day, we assembled a coalition of national and local bar associations, legal affinity groups, and concerned lawyer-citizens who were responsible for producing events in more than 50 cities nationwide.
A Historic Gathering in Washington, D.C.
Law Day of Action 2025 - D.C.
On the iconic steps of the Supreme Court, more than 600 legal professionals gathered in a powerful display of solidarity. Produced by L4GG, the Washington, D.C. event served as the symbolic center of this nationwide movement, bringing together an impressive coalition of organizations including Alliance for Justice, American Constitution Society, the National Bar Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and numerous D.C. based bar associations representing diverse communities.
The event featured an extraordinary lineup of speakers who underscored the gravity of the moment:
Representative Mary Gay Scanlon spoke with the urgency of someone who has dedicated her career to defending constitutional rights.
Wiley Adams, President of the National Bar Association, reminded attendees of lawyers' unique power and obligation to lead during democratic crises.
Representative Jamie Raskin called upon the legal community to harness their training as a force for justice.
Together, these distinguished leaders stood with hundreds of attorneys as they collectively reaffirmed their oath to defend the Constitution—a symbolic yet profound act of professional commitment.
A Powerful Nationwide Movement
Law Day of Action 2025 - NYC
From the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. to courthouses across America, the message was clear and resolute: the legal profession stands as guardians of democracy and constitutional principles. In city after city, participants stood shoulder to shoulder, renewing their commitment to justice and equal protection under the law.
As Traci Feit Love, Founder and Executive Director of Lawyers for Good Government, declared while opening the D.C. event:
"Lawyers don't just respect the Constitution—we swear an oath to defend it. And when that oath is threatened, we show up, we speak out, and we stand together."
Traci Feit Love, Founder & ED of L4GG
Coast to Coast Unity
The groundswell of support spanned the entire country:
New York City led with approximately 1,500-2,000 participants
Washington State mobilized over 1,300 legal professionals
San Francisco had approximately 1,200 participants
Oakland, California gathered 500 attorneys and judges
Minneapolis assembled 625 advocates for justice
Boston and Portland, Maine each brought together 500 participants
Philadelphia rallied 450 members of the legal community
Law Day of Action 2025 - Asheville, NC
In total, events in over 50 cities united the profession in this collective reaffirmation of core legal principles.
Voices from the Community
Legal leaders from across the political spectrum spoke with conviction about the profession's responsibility in this moment:
"The rule of law is about country, not party. Lawyers pledge fealty to the Constitution and nothing else." — Stuart Gerson, former Acting Attorney General under George H.W. Bush
"We are lawyers, we are the servants of the rule of law. We work in service of something greater than ourselves, and it has never felt more important to defend it." — Victoria Santoro, Massachusetts Bar Association President
"In our Constitutional system, we are the guardians of democracy. We are bulwark against tyranny and one-man rule. No one is above the law, and no one is below it." — Andrea Young, ACLU of Georgia
Law Day of Action 2025 - San Francisco
The diversity of participating organizations was equally impressive, with national groups like the American Constitution Society and National Bar Association joining local bar associations, public interest organizations, and specialty legal groups in a remarkable show of professional solidarity.
A Historic Moment
What made this day truly extraordinary was its scale and unity of purpose. From federal judges to law students, from corporate attorneys to public defenders, the legal community transcended traditional divides to emphasize the profession's foundational commitment to constitutional principles.
Law Day of Action 2025 - Philadelphia
On the right: Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Katayun I. Jaffari
As Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Katayun I. Jaffari reminded attendees: "Our system isn't perfect, but we all have a role in protecting it." She continued, invoking Benjamin Franklin's famous words near the site of the Constitutional Convention: "A republic – if you can keep it."
Looking Forward
This National Law Day of Action represents more than a single moment – it marks the beginning of a renewed commitment by the legal profession to actively defend democratic institutions and constitutional principles.
Law Day of Action 2025 - Dallas, TX
As Christian Menefee, Harris County Attorney, told attendees in Houston: "The Thurgood Marshall is right here in this group. The Ruth Bader Ginsberg is right here in this group. And it's up to each and every one of us to fight like hell in the courtroom to ensure we have the democracy that each and every one of us believes in."
This unprecedented gathering demonstrates that when constitutional values are at stake, the legal profession stands ready to leverage its unique role in society to protect the rule of law for all Americans.
For more information about the National Law Day of Action, click here.
To see the full video of the Washington, D.C. event, click here.
L4GG Celebrates Earth Day: Legal Victory Translates to Restored Funding for Communities
National Law Day of Action: Stand for the Rule of Law
National Law Day of Action: Stand for the Rule of Law
A Call to Reaffirm Our Oath and Defend Our Legal Foundations
Dear Colleagues,
In times when the cornerstones of American democracy face unprecedented challenges, our voices as legal professionals have never been more crucial. On Thursday, May 1, 2025, attorneys across the nation will gather for the National Law Day of Action to stand united in defense of judicial independence, the rule of law, and the independence of the legal profession.
Find an Event Near You
Events are being organized nationwide, with simultaneous demonstrations planned in cities across the country. Find and RSVP to an event near you using the map below.
Why This Matters
These aren't abstract legal concepts — they are the foundation upon which our entire system of justice rests. When judges face attacks for unpopular rulings, when legal professionals endure political pressure, and when public trust in our legal system erodes, every citizen's rights hang in the balance.
Reaffirm Your Oath
Law Day 2025 offers a powerful opportunity to publicly reaffirm the oath we all took when admitted to the bar. This symbolic act reminds us and our communities of our enduring commitment to uphold the Constitution and the principles of justice that form the bedrock of our legal system.
Join colleagues in a ceremonial oath reaffirmation at events nationwide, recommitting ourselves to the principles that unite us as a profession:
Equality under the law
Due process for all
Protection of fundamental rights
Defense of judicial independence
Preservation of the independent legal profession
Join Us in Washington, DC
As our nation's capital and home to the highest court in the land, the Washington DC demonstration carries special significance. Stand with fellow attorneys, judges, and concerned citizens on the steps of the Supreme Court in a powerful visual representation of our commitment to the rule of law.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: Supreme Court of the United States, 1 First Street NE, Washington, DC
Why This Matters Now
The principles we defend are non-partisan. This isn't about specific cases or political outcomes—it's about protecting the process of justice itself. Erosion of judicial independence and the rule of law threatens democracy itself, affecting every citizen's ability to have their rights protected and their voices heard.
By standing together on May 1, we send a clear message that the legal profession remains united in its commitment to these fundamental principles. When we stand together, our collective voice becomes a powerful force for preserving the foundations of American justice.
Time is of the essence. Join us in this nationwide demonstration to protect what matters most.
Together, we create a nationwide wave of support for judicial independence, the rule of law, and the independence of the legal profession.