DOJ Lawyers On the Hunt For New Jobs

Those who worked on cases involving Trump or Jan. 6 see careers now at risk

- SADIE GURMAN AND C. RYAN BARBER

Justice Department lawyers who have angered President-elect Donald Trump and his allies are facing tough decisions about whether to stay in government—and how to best protect themselves from threats of retribution after Inauguration Day.

Dozens of prosecutors and agents have worked on cases that potentially make them vulnerable, such as special counsel investigations of Trump, prosecutions of hundreds of his supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and contempt-of-Congress cases that sent top Trump associates Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro to prison this year.

Their concerns are part of a broader wave of uncertainty that has swept through the Justice Department since Trump’s re-election, as he and his appointees openly float plans to fire career employees and bring the department more closely under presidential control.

Flood of résumés

Some department lawyers on the fence about leaving have sought counsel from Attorney General Merrick Garland and other senior officials, who have encouraged them to stay on for continuity of government and for their expertise, people familiar with the discussions said.

Law firms say they have seen an unprecedented flood of résumés from department lawyers looking for the exits. While presidential transitions always upend the ranks of political appointees, “now, it’s seeping into a lot of career people,” said Steve Nelson, a legal recruiter who helps lawyers make the jump from government into the private sector.