This Biglaw Firm Is Flip-Flopping Harder Than IHOP On Supporting The Right To Choose

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Lawyers, debaters, and most DBZ fans have one thing in common — they’re known for liking to argue. And one thing arguing-prone people are good at is switching sides. The issue arises when the abstract concepts you’re defending have concrete consequences… like claiming to be for abortion rights while also funding politicians who aim to ban them.

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The largest law firm in Texas, Vinson & Elkins, is pledging to cover its employees’ travel expenses for reproductive medical care after contributing to the campaigns for two Republican governors pushing strict restrictions on abortion.

The Houston-founded firm’s political action committee has given Texas Gov. Greg Abbott $65,000 in the last two years, according to state filings. The firm’s PAC donated directly to Abbott’s campaign and to PACs associated with the governor, who faces a tightening re-election race in November.

…a new state law signed by Abbott largely banned abortions and targets those who assist residents in getting access to the medical service.

The firm also contributed $20,000 to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin in his successful bid for governor in 2021. Youngkin has said he wants to pass a law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

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It is understandable to be confused on why a firm that brands itself as being one of the best firms for women to work at would be actively funding a candidate trying to usher in a 50-year civil rights reversion.

@VinsonandElkins So your law firm supports women who work for you having the right to an abortion but anyone else who’s not lucky enough to work for you is just on their own? I wonder what the women of Vinson and Elkins think about this. Despicable.

— Anne Loo 🌻🇺🇦 (@loonyberg) July 8, 2022

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That said, what can you do — a lot of high-profile people are being put in strange positions when it comes to doing what is right or doing what the money mandates. Maybe they can get some advice from Joe Biden. It can be notoriously difficult for lawyers to get advice from non-lawyers; the Syracuse grad may be specially positioned to give the firm the advice they need. He also just came under flack for planning to appoint an anti-choice judge right before Roe got overturned, so he probably has some good advice for them on how to deal with PR blowback.

My advice remains the same. Drink your water. Eat your vegetables. Don’t rely on corporations to secure your civil rights. And please email us at [email protected] if you find out that your firm plans on driving you to and from the abortion clinic right after the pro-life protestors are finished harassing your care provider.

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Texas Law Firm Touting Abortion Aid Backs Governors Urging Bans [Bloomberg Law]

Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by tweet at @WritesForRent.

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Abortion access, Greg Abbott, Travel Reimbursement, Vinson & Elkins