DOMA

This guy withdrew for much the same reason's Althouse gave for a vigorous 
defense of DOMA being necessary for respect for the rule of law.  The sad thing 
is that by withdrawing this law firm has undermined the legitimacy of the 
decision, especially if DOMA is struck down.

"Efforts to delegitimize any representation for one side of a legal  controversy 
are a profound threat to the rule of law," Clement  continues.  "Much has been 
said about being on the wrong side of  history.  But being on the right or wrong 
side on the merits is a  question for clients.  When it comes to the lawyers, 
the surest way to  be on the wrong side of history is to abandon a client in the 
face of  hostile criticism."  


John Adams would agree.


http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/04/paul-clement-resigns-law-firm-over-doma-decision




Paul Clement resigns from law firm over DOMA decision

By: Byron York  04/25/11 11:40 AM 
Chief Political Correspondent Follow Him @ByronYork 
Former solicitor general Paul Clement has resigned from his law  firm, King & 
Spalding, over the firm's decision to back out of a  commitment to defend the 
Defense of Marriage Act against a  constitutional challenge.

In a letter to King & Spalding chairman Robert Hays, Clement says  he chose to 
resign not because he has strong personal views about  DOMA.  Rather, he writes, 
"I resign out of the firmly-held belief that a  representation should not be 
abandoned because the client's legal  position is extremely unpopular in certain 
quarters."
King & Spalding had faced protests and threats from pro-gay marriage groups in 
light of its decision to defend DOMA.

"Efforts to delegitimize any representation for one side of a legal  controversy 
are a profound threat to the rule of law," Clement  continues.  "Much has been 
said about being on the wrong side of  history.  But being on the right or wrong 
side on the merits is a  question for clients.  When it comes to the lawyers, 
the surest way to  be on the wrong side of history is to abandon a client in the 
face of  hostile criticism."

In his resignation letter, Clement also takes a direct shot at Hays,  the firm's 
chairman, who earlier today said through a spokesman that  "the process used for 
vetting this engagement was inadequate" -- that  is, that King & Spalding had 
not sufficiently looked into the issue  before taking the case. "I would never 
have undertaken this matter  unless I believed I had the full backing of the 
firm," Clement writes.   "I recognized from the outset that this statute [DOMA] 
implicates very  sensitive issues that prompt strong views on both sides."
"If there were problems with the firms' vetting process," Clement  says, "we 
should fix the vetting process, not drop the representation."
Clement's resignation is effective immediately.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: 
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/04/paul-clement-resigns-law-firm-over-doma-decision#ixzz1KZAF8weV

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