On November 13, 2020 people gathered outside the Jones Day offices in Manhattan, New York to protest the lawsuits challenging the results of the presidential election that Jones Day and Porter Wright filed on behalf of Donald Trump's campaign. Photo: Ryland West/ALM Law.com Trendspotter: Controversial Clients Are Nothing New for Law Firms—but Consequences Might Be, Part I
It looks like Donald Trump's presidency could be ending the same way it began: kicking up controversy for the law firms that represent him and his interests, and raising broader philosophical questions about the perils of taking on divisive clients and cases. But while Trump wasn't the first, won't be the last and is far from the only current client with a spotty public image, he is emblematic of a new kind of reputational risk that could potentially cause more severe problems for law firms than a mere PR headache.
November 15, 2020 at 11:00 PM
8 minute read
This is the first installment of a two-part Trendspotter column looking at the intense scrutiny law firms have come under recently due to their representation of divisive clients and examining whether the backlash could have real business consequences. This week, we'll look at the clients that have caused the most intense blowback for law firms in recent years, beginning with Exhibit A: the president of the United States of America.
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