To their credit, corporations do not appear to be heeding Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Charles Stimson’s suggestion that they boycott law firms representing Guantanamo detainees:
Instead of Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, DaimlerChrysler, and Pfizer dumping their outside counsel in a fit of political protest, firms have largely gotten support from corporate America and from within their partnership ranks.
âPro bono service and the rule of law are great traditions in the American legal profession, and we at GE have no intention of â and strongly disagree with the suggestion of in any way â discriminating against law firms that represent us on the basis of the pro bono, charitable, or public service that the lawyers in those firms choose to engage in,â Brackett Denniston, senior vice president and general counsel at General Electric, said in a statement. Jenner & Block and Covington, two firms involved in representing detainees, have done legal work for GE.
GEâs not alone in its position.
âI intend to continue to use the firms that regularly represent us. The fact that they engage in pro bono work or work for other clients that I donât necessarily agree with doesnât affect my decision,â says William Barr, general counsel of Verizon Communications and former attorney general under President George H.W. Bush. Debevoise & Plimpton and WilmerHale have both represented Verizon and are active in representing detainees.
Stimson has apologized, sort of. He remains on the job.