Sotomayor on Trump-era threats: "We can't lose the battles we are facing"

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor urged hundreds of lawyers Thursday night to stand up in the face of threats, multiple outlets reported. Why it matters: President Trump's administration has targeted law firms and even federal judges, in what observers say has raised the possibility of a constitutional crisis.She's the latest Supreme Court justice to speak out against attacks on the legal profession and federal judiciary. Driving the news: "If you're not used to fighting, and losing battles, then don't become a lawyer," Sotomayor said at an American Bar Association event. "Our job is to stand up for people who can't do it themselves.""Right now, we can't lose the battles we are facing," she added. State of play: President Trump has retaliated against prominent law firms with executive orders, stripping security clearances and discouraging federal officials from interacting with the firms. He announced five deals with law firms last month, securing a combined $940 million in pro bono legal services for conservative causes. Zoom in: "We need trained and passionate and committed lawyers to fight this fight," Sotomayor said on Thursday. "For me, being here with you is an act of solidarity."American Bar Association president William R. Bay in March said he rejected "efforts to undermine the courts and the profession." Zoom out: Sotomayor has previously been outspoken about the role of courts in a challenging political climate. In March, she urged for "fearlessly independent" courts at a Georgetown Law event."The fact that some of our public leaders are lawyers advocating or making statements challenging the rule of law tells me that fundamentally our law schools are failing," she said at the time. Go deeper: As Big Law folds to Trump, some D.C. firms are fighting

Comments

World news

India-Pakistan latest: Islamabad rocked by explosions in horror scenes

Express

A man was found dead outside a courthouse hours after his release. A decade later, police say they’ve arrested his killer

about 1 hour ago

On podcasts, Trump’s surgeon general pick touts organics, questions vaccines and talks spirituality

Independent

Comments

Similar News

Justice Sonia Sotomayor says lawyers should stand up and fight amid turmoil in nation's legal system

World news

India-Pakistan latest: Islamabad rocked by explosions in horror scenes

Investigators outline final moments of plane crash that killed former college soccer star and family

Trump’s ‘big beautiful’ spending bill appears on life support as GOP looks to end some tax relief president created

Woke Pope? Trump reckons with a ‘liberal’ American leader he can’t trash-talk

Lifelong criminal who has been arrested 26 times is now suspected of trying to kidnap a 13-year-old girl

A man was found dead outside a courthouse hours after his release. A decade later, police say they’ve arrested his killer

On podcasts, Trump’s surgeon general pick touts organics, questions vaccines and talks spirituality

More than $220 million in contracts canceled by Musk and DOGE have been brought back

Trump may suspend key right protecting people from unlawful detention amid ‘invasion’ claim

Diver dies salvaging sunken superyacht which killed billionaire and his daughter

She was arrested for an op-ed. Now a judge has ordered her freed.

U.S.-China Trade Talks to Focus on De-Escalation

U.S., China Prepare for High-Stakes Trade Talks in Geneva

What in the World?

Hearing in September on whether Quebec daycare crash accused is high-risk offender

Ontario First Nation seeks emergency relief in Federal Court over water crisis

Nova Scotia expanding STI home testing to include HIV screening

21-year-old charged in 2 separate murders in Vancouver, Surrey

‘Policing in Nunavik is broken’: Inuit group wants change after latest fatal shooting

Mexico sues Google for renaming Gulf of Mexico as ‘Gulf of America’

U.S. embassy in Ukraine warns of ‘significant’ air attack in coming days

Investigation finds Alberta government non-compliant with freedom of information laws

Mercenary and coup plotter Simon Mann dies

Turkish Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk to be released

Mexico sues Google over 'Gulf of America' name change

Russia commemorates 80th anniversary of V-E Day in shadow of Ukraine War

Senior U.K. admiral quits amid reports of affair with lower-ranking female

The world's biggest nightclub that was abandoned but will now welcome 15,000 partygoers

Spain's deputy PM's bodyguards targeted in horror knife attack as cops taser suspect

Trump admin weighs cutting protections for mental health treatment coverage

Wall Street is getting anxious about Trump’s trade war

‘Acts of torture:’ Florida nurse accused of assaulting quadriplegic, non-verbal woman

Trump rages at ‘highly neurotic’ MSNBC host over tariffs, claims network committed ‘Major Campaign Violation’

SpaceX employee with Crohn’s disease says bosses tracked and limited his bathroom use

Voters like the UK-US reaching a trade deal – they just don’t think Trump will follow it

Dutch leader says NATO's chief insists allies should spend at least 3.5% of GDP on defense budgets

Cops say Wisconsin shooter who killed 2 had models of school in her home as prosecutors charge dad in case

New Jersey mayor arrested at ICE detention center where he was protesting, prosecutor says

FDA approves new at-home HPV test that can help detect cancer

JFK-created Peace Corps preps for ‘significant restructuring efforts’ as DOGE targets humanitarian group

Cigna denies life-saving operation to man battling stage 4 cancer

Pope Leo XIV live updates: Cardinal says Leo will be ‘darn good Pope’ as White House downplays Trump tensions

New Jersey mayor arrested outside ICE facility after protest with members of Congress

Mexico sues Google over Gulf of America name change

German Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer dies at age 103

Diver dies during work to recover sunken Bayesian superyacht

New Pope Leo XIV spotted singing karaoke at party during his time in Peru

What Abundance Lacks

The Long History of U.S.-Canada War Plans

A Thousand Ways of Being Chinese

Vancouver real estate firm lays off staff amid ‘challenging’ market

Crews battling wildfire north of Edmonton not out of the woods yet, say officials

Inmate suffers bungled execution after firing squad misses target in South Carolina

Diddy trial: Judge delays jury selection due to ‘cold feet’ concerns

RCMP say 2 Manitobans charged with arson in connection with wildfires

Province to build supportive housing for people in Nanaimo

Rising unemployment a ‘harsh reality’ of the trade war, experts say

Confirmed cases of measles in Alberta now at 326, continue to rise

Pope Leo XIV may help Vatican explore the 'great uncertainty' that is Trump's America

Investigating One of the Deadliest Moments of the War in Gaza