Brent W. Landau, Executive Director of the Public Interest Law Center, released the following statement in response to the President’s March 22, 2025 memorandum threatening lawyers:

“Our civil rights depend on lawyers with the courage to challenge injustice. Targeting attorneys who represent individuals and organizations against the government is a dangerous step toward undermining the rule of law. By threatening to punish lawyers who fight against illegal and unconstitutional actions, the Trump administration seeks to intimidate all those who would stand in its way. We simply cannot allow our civil rights to be diminished through fear.

The Public Interest Law Center opened its doors in 1969 as the Philadelphia affiliate of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. For 56 years, we have worked alongside lawyers in the private bar to defend constitutional rights, protect democracy, and ensure equal justice under the law. This latest directive threatens everyone’s fundamental rights by discouraging attorneys from taking on cases that challenge government overreach, enforce civil rights, or protect vulnerable communities. We will not be silenced, and we call on the entire legal profession to join us as we continue to pursue justice for all, no matter how difficult the fight.”