Trump's new executive order says private law firms will do free work for accused cops

Source: Business Insider

Trump's new executive order says private law firms will do free work for accused cops

Jack Newsham
Tue, April 29, 2025 at 1:01 PM EDT 3 min read

• A new executive order calls on the Justice Department to "unleash" police across the country.
• One provision calls for law firms to provide pro bono assistance to officers who get sued.
• It's not clear how much of the order is legally or practically possible.

The Trump administration will seek to enlist private sector law firms to defend police officers "unjustly" accused of wrongdoing.

In an executive order signed Monday, President Donald Trump instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to help defend police officers named in civil rights lawsuits. According to the order, whatever system the Justice Department creates "shall include the use of private-sector pro bono assistance for such law enforcement officers."

The order does not explicitly direct any particular law firm to do anything. However, following previous executive orders targeting a number of elite firms, nine have agreed to deals with the president and collectively agreed to provide $940 million in pro bono legal services to support the president's priorities.

The effect of the order is unclear. Police officers who get sued are normally defended by their department or by their union.

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Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-administration-press-private-law-170134273.html