"The former Florida AG who became Trump's AG and turned the once respected Department of Justice into the hottest of messes. In 2025, she oversaw the mass exodus of career attorneys, backed several legally dubious U.S. Attorney appointments, and generally acted like her office was the legal department for Trump's revenge tour. Bondi's DOJ has been giving ethics scholars nightmares and has been the source of frequent judicial eye rolls. Thanks to her, the Justice Department is now Trump's personal law firm."
"Rachel Cohen: In 2025, this former Skadden associate did what very few Biglaw associates were willing to do: she put her principles ahead of her paycheck. She became a flashpoint in the legal profession by challenging her firm and the broader Biglaw establishment over their shocking responses to Trump's executive orders. She organized an open letter signed by nearly 2,000 associates, where she urged firms to defend the rule of law."
Last year was a big year in legal news and produced six 2025 Lawyer of the Year finalists. The slate includes prominent figures tied to controversial policy and appointments as well as associates who challenged legal industry norms. One nominee, a former Florida attorney general who became U.S. attorney general, oversaw a mass exodus of career prosecutors, backed several legally dubious U.S. Attorney appointments, and shifted the Department of Justice toward partisan priorities. Another nominee, a former Biglaw associate, organized an open letter signed by nearly 2,000 associates urging firms to defend the rule of law and accepted professional sacrifice for legal ethics. A third nominee received a contested U.S. Attorney appointment that multiple courts ruled unlawful.
Read at Above the Law
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