Abbe Lowell starts firm to take on Trump -- and hires renegade ex-Skadden associate

Source: Business Insider

May 2, 2025, 10:26 AM ET


Rachel Cohen, an attorney who dramatically quit her job at a Big Law firm for its inaction in the face of President Donald Trump's war on major law firms, is joining a new firm that's taking on the president. Cohen announced on LinkedIn that she's joining the new firm launched by Abbe Lowell, an attorney who's represented an array of prominent Democratic party figures, including Hunter Biden, former Sen. Bob Menendez, and former Sen. John Edwards, as well as Jared and Ivanka Trump.

"This firm isn't going to shy away from the tough fights on behalf of our clients and we are building it with attorneys like Rachel Cohen who've proven they're ready to do just that," Lowell told Business Insider Friday morning. Cohen will be the Strategic & External Affairs Coordinator at Lowell and Associates, PLLC, she said on LinkedIn.

"Some lawyers and law firms aren't prepared to meet the current moment," she wrote. "We are, and I'm hopeful that firms like ours choosing to lead the way will bring others down the path with us." In March, Cohen publicly posted her resignation letter from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where she had been an associate. The letter, which went viral on LinkedIn, called out the firm for not signing onto an amicus brief in support of Perkins Coie, which sued the administration after being targeted by one of Trump's executive orders.

Later that month, Skadden made a deal with Trump, agreeing to donate $100 million in pro bono work to his priorities. Joining Cohen at Lowell's new firm will be Brenna Trout Frey, who quit her position as a Skadden associate after it signed the deal with Trump. "The rule of law matters. As an attorney, if my employer cannot stand up for the rule of law, then I cannot ethically continue to work for them," Frey wrote on LinkedIn at the time.

Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/rachel-cohen-big-law-abbe-lowell-trump-skadden-2025-5