The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday abandoned its legal defense of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump that targeted several major law firms, effectively conceding after federal judges unanimously ruled the measures unconstitutional.

The orders had singled out firms including Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Susman Godfrey, and Jenner & Block. The administration sought to restrict their security clearances, limit access to federal buildings, and curtail eligibility for government contracts, citing the firms’ client relationships and hiring decisions.

Perkins Coie has represented prominent Democratic figures, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. WilmerHale employed former special counsel Robert Mueller after he led the investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign. Jenner & Block hired Andrew Weissmann, a senior member of Mueller’s investigative team.

The firms challenged the executive orders in court, arguing they infringed upon constitutional protections and retaliated against them for their legal work. Federal judges agreed, finding the actions violated core constitutional principles.

In response to the Justice Department’s decision to drop its defense of the orders, WilmerHale issued a statement welcoming the outcome.

“As we said from the outset, our challenge to the unlawful Executive Order was about defending our clients’ constitutional right to retain the counsel of their choosing and defending the rule of law. We are pleased these foundational principles were vindicated,” a spokesperson for the firm said.

The episode marks a significant rebuke of the administration’s attempt to penalize private law firms based on their affiliations and underscores judicial limits on executive authority.