Chicago attorney resigns in protest after law firm makes deal with Trump administration

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago attorney is taking a stand against President Donald Trump's administration's efforts to punish lawyers and law firms who bring lawsuits against him, his administration, or his agenda.

Critics claim this goes to the very heart of the justice system: lawyers and law firms threatened with executive orders and government work restrictions unless they fall into lockstep with President Trump's priorities.

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It's something Rachel Cohen felt so strongly about she quit her job at a high-powered law firm in protest as it struck a deal with the Trump administration.

"I've never done something that was so universally well received in my entire life as publicly quitting," Cohen said.

The Harvard graduate said she worked for years for her shot at one of the largest law firms in the world and got hired at Skadden Law in Chicago. But the third-year associate is now unemployed.

She told the I-Team she resigned her position as the law firm was in the process of striking a deal with the Trump administration for $100 million dollars of free legal work supporting the president's agenda.

"The Trump administration is coming for corporate law firms, punishing them explicitly and then stripping them of government contracts and trying to run them out of business," Cohen said. "We have a legal system that requires lawyers bring cases for them to be heard in front of a judge for the Constitution and due process rights to be upheld. He's trying to intimidate lawyers out of bringing the cases in the first place."

Cohen said Trump is working to influence the cases law firms take and dictate private legal work to support his goals, while many big law firms are cowering in fear.

"Too scared that maybe their paycheck goes down from $4.5 million to $4.3 million next year, too scared to save not just people's lives but the fabric of our legal system. Maddening is an understatement," Cohen said.

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The president of the Chicago Bar Association, John Sciaccotta, said lawyers need to stand firm to uphold the constitution and should be able to represent whoever they wish.

"When there's interference with that, that's really violates the Constitution, violates the rule of law, and, quite frankly, violates the oath that we all take as lawyers to uphold the Constitution," explained Sciaccotta.

The association is supporting Chicago law firm Jenner and Block, currently fighting a targeted executive order against them by President Trump. He said the pro bono work under fire by Trump's executive orders will keep many people in the immigration system from receiving representation.

"That is infringing upon their rights, and I think it's very devastating to who we are as a country," he said.

The I-Team asked Cohen what motivated her to go public with her resignation.

"It's an unbelievable opportunity to speak about things that I care about, and I'm going to take it," Cohen said.

Next week, Cohen is set to speak in front of members of the House Judiciary Committee about the President's actions against law firms.

The I-Team reached out to Skadden Law, but has not yet received a reply.