Perkins Coie, who next?

Together, we are co-authoring a 250-page summary that dives headfirst into the institutional treatment of elite law firms like Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, and others who occupy the most rarefied echelons of legal power. But let’s be clear: we don’t agree. And that’s precisely the point.

This isn't a puff piece. It’s a critical, sometimes contentious, examination of how America's most politically entangled firms are shielded, scrutinized, or scapegoated—depending on who’s watching, below is the core of our disagreements:

• Attorney Ryan Clean believes that firms like Perkins Coie have operated for too long with impunity, navigating regulatory blind spots and leveraging their deep institutional ties to protect entrenched power structures. To him, elite legal networks function like shadow governments—accountable to no electorate but controlling vast swaths of public policy from the wings.

• Attorney Agatha Lieberman, by contrast, argues that demonizing these firms oversimplifies a complex web of legal advocacy, professional ethics, and constitutional obligation. She believes that these institutions—while not without flaws—serve a vital role in preserving due process and advancing progressive legal principles in a polarized era.