Erin Durant
@erindurant42.bsky.social
Founder of Durant Barristers. I like sports, law and birds. I’m a trial lawyer and investigator who is retained in times of crisis for organizations of all sizes. Located in Ontario, Canada.
Today is the 4 year anniversary of Durant Barristers. Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of building a great little law firm.
May 20, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Today is the 4 year anniversary of Durant Barristers. Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of building a great little law firm.
She is right.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson:
"Your argument seems to turn our justice system, in my view at least, into a catch me if you can kind of regime … where everybody has to have a lawyer and file a lawsuit in order for the government to stop violating people's rights."
www.npr.org/2025/05/15/n...
"Your argument seems to turn our justice system, in my view at least, into a catch me if you can kind of regime … where everybody has to have a lawyer and file a lawsuit in order for the government to stop violating people's rights."
www.npr.org/2025/05/15/n...
Supreme Court justices appear divided in birthright citizenship arguments
The arguments focused on whether federal district court judges can rule against the administration on a nationwide basis.
www.npr.org
May 15, 2025 at 10:31 PM
She is right.
Blue-headed vireo, chestnut-sided warbler, Baltimore oriole and grey catbird today in Russell.
May 12, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Blue-headed vireo, chestnut-sided warbler, Baltimore oriole and grey catbird today in Russell.
Reposted by Erin Durant
Meanwhile, you can’t get a room in Vancouver because now all the Canadians are staying home to travel and the Americans want to escape the Nazis for a few days.
Seattle, feeling the pinch from lack of Canadian tourism with border crossings down 50%, have started a tourism campaign where local restaurants/hotels take Canadian dollars at par this weekend for the annual Jays-Mariners series
!['Open Arms for Canada' discount offered to Canadian tourists in Seattle this weekend
https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/discount-canadian-tourists-seattle
Canadian tourists vising Seattle for the Toronto Blue Jays series will get a roughly a 30% discount at select restaurants and businesses this weekend.
It's part of the "Open Arms for Canada" campaign, an effort to bring in more Canadian tourists.
SEATTLE - Dozens of Seattle restaurants, attractions and hotels are taking part in the Open Arms for Canada campaign to bring in more Canadian tourists.
What they're saying:
"We're approaching 40 businesses and organizations that will accept Canadian currency at par, roughly a 30% discount, if they come to Seattle and show us a [Canadian] driver's license or passport," said Bob Donegan, President and CEO of Ivar's.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bumu6s332o24fppobse7j3ms/bafkreid7s6njzwbppymcms7jnkxapnoyxzlmz5fqoypl4zcsesekftxdia@jpeg)
May 10, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Meanwhile, you can’t get a room in Vancouver because now all the Canadians are staying home to travel and the Americans want to escape the Nazis for a few days.
The problem with the propensity to hyperfocus is that sometimes you find yourself spending half a day and the evening thinking of and organizing an elaborate advocacy campaign instead of just watching tv like a normal person.
May 9, 2025 at 1:30 AM
The problem with the propensity to hyperfocus is that sometimes you find yourself spending half a day and the evening thinking of and organizing an elaborate advocacy campaign instead of just watching tv like a normal person.
My latest Substack was my quarterly update on the Canadian Big Law legal market. Link below.
May 8, 2025 at 11:12 AM
My latest Substack was my quarterly update on the Canadian Big Law legal market. Link below.
Another reason not to travel to the USA.
Planes were briefly “flying blind” into Newark Liberty International Airport last week after a communications blackout occurred. Sources said the outage lasted 90 seconds on April 28th and shook up the on-duty controllers so much that some were placed on “trauma leave.”
Control Meltdown Left Planes ‘Flying Blind’ at Major Airport
Air traffic controllers lost contact with planes flying into Newark Liberty International Airport last week. A “fried piece of copper wire” may be to blame.
www.thedailybeast.com
May 6, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Another reason not to travel to the USA.
How big law lawyers reacted when Trump targeted them is terrifying to me. It shows how quickly some rich people leave their virtues behind when their wealth is even remotely at risk. I’m glad I don’t need to worry about how my colleagues feel about this.
Few lawyers are willing to speak publicly about President Trump’s actions against law firms. Fear is rippling through Washington. But, despite being a target, Marc Elias is still talking. Scott Pelley sits down with him tonight on 60 Minutes.
May 6, 2025 at 2:18 AM
How big law lawyers reacted when Trump targeted them is terrifying to me. It shows how quickly some rich people leave their virtues behind when their wealth is even remotely at risk. I’m glad I don’t need to worry about how my colleagues feel about this.
Marc Elias understands the assignment.
Few lawyers are willing to speak publicly about President Trump’s actions against law firms. Fear is rippling through Washington. But, despite being a target, Marc Elias is still talking. Scott Pelley sits down with him tonight on 60 Minutes.
May 4, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Marc Elias understands the assignment.
Reposted by Erin Durant
Mexican President Sheinbaum confirms that Trump has phoned her to secretly pressure her to allow US troops to enter the country.
The president said no to Trump and told him "Mexico's sovereignty is inviolable and it's not for sale."..."We will never accept a US military presence in our territory."
The president said no to Trump and told him "Mexico's sovereignty is inviolable and it's not for sale."..."We will never accept a US military presence in our territory."
May 3, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Mexican President Sheinbaum confirms that Trump has phoned her to secretly pressure her to allow US troops to enter the country.
The president said no to Trump and told him "Mexico's sovereignty is inviolable and it's not for sale."..."We will never accept a US military presence in our territory."
The president said no to Trump and told him "Mexico's sovereignty is inviolable and it's not for sale."..."We will never accept a US military presence in our territory."
Weekend reading.
![UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PERKINS COIE LLP,
Plaintiff,
V.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, et al.,
Defendants.
Civil Action No. 25-716 (BAH)
Judge Beryl A. Howell
MEMORANDUM OPINION
No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue in this
lawsuit targeting a prominent law firm with adverse actions to be executed by all Executive branch agencies but, in purpose and effect, this action draws from a playbook as old as Shakespeare, who penned the phrase: "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, HENRY VI, PART 2, act 4, sc. 2, 1. 75. When Shakespeare's character, a rebel leader intent on
becoming king, see id. I. 74, hears this suggestion, he promptly incorporates this tactic as part of
his plan to assume power, leading in the same scene to the rebel leader demanding "[a]way with
him," referring to an educated clerk, who "can make obligations and write court hand," id. 1. 90,
106. Eliminating lawyers as the guardians of the rule of law removes a major impediment to the
path to more power. See Walters v. Nat'l Ass'n of Radiation Survivors, 473 U.S. 305, 371 n.24
(1985) (Stevens, J., dissenting) (explaining the import of the same Shakespearean statement to be
"that disposing of lawyers is a step in the direction of a totalitarian form of government").
The importance of independent lawyers to ensuring the American judicial system's fair
and impartial administration of justice has been recognized in this country since its founding era.
In 1770, John Adams made the singularly unpopular decision to represent eight British soldiers
charged with murder for their roles in the Boston Massacre and "claimed later to have suffered the](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:t4x2ruk2qmob2b2cx55h4v7r/bafkreibym7gqxofw4wrpxo3r5q2yf7rki7sbtv4o6t6b2oiznxqwv2of3q@jpeg)
May 2, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Weekend reading.
Reposted by Erin Durant
🚨BREAKING: Federal Court permanently BLOCKS Trump executive order targeting my former law firm, Perkins Coie.
Executive Order 14230, entitled “Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP,” violates the First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and is therefore null and void
Executive Order 14230, entitled “Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP,” violates the First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and is therefore null and void
May 2, 2025 at 10:31 PM
🚨BREAKING: Federal Court permanently BLOCKS Trump executive order targeting my former law firm, Perkins Coie.
Executive Order 14230, entitled “Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP,” violates the First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and is therefore null and void
Executive Order 14230, entitled “Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP,” violates the First, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and is therefore null and void
Reposted by Erin Durant
JUST IN: Judge HOWELL rules forcefully in favor of Perkins Coie against Trump's punitive executive order, comparing him to a Shakespearean character who famously called to "kill all the lawyers" in order to amass power.
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
May 2, 2025 at 10:26 PM
JUST IN: Judge HOWELL rules forcefully in favor of Perkins Coie against Trump's punitive executive order, comparing him to a Shakespearean character who famously called to "kill all the lawyers" in order to amass power.
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
Reposted by Erin Durant
Harvard Law professor Michael Klarman gave an inspiring lecture about the need for lawyers to protect democracy. I was honored that he noted the attacks and threats aimed at me. His words serve to steel my spine and make me more committed than ever to fighting for democracy.
Thank you professor.🙏
Thank you professor.🙏
May 1, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Harvard Law professor Michael Klarman gave an inspiring lecture about the need for lawyers to protect democracy. I was honored that he noted the attacks and threats aimed at me. His words serve to steel my spine and make me more committed than ever to fighting for democracy.
Thank you professor.🙏
Thank you professor.🙏
I’m inviting people to go on a bird watching tour. Never thought I’d say that.
May 1, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I’m inviting people to go on a bird watching tour. Never thought I’d say that.
Reposted by Erin Durant
The more the people who control the Internet talk, the more I think we should destroy the Internet and all go hang out in curling rinks and bowling allies
Mark Zuckerberg says Meta's chatbots will supplement your real friends: "The average American has fewer than 3 friends ... but has demand for ... 15 friends" (h/t x.com/romanhelmetg...)
May 1, 2025 at 2:07 PM
The more the people who control the Internet talk, the more I think we should destroy the Internet and all go hang out in curling rinks and bowling allies
An update on me from my new LinkedIn page (I deleted the old one as a result of some of the things discussed in the post): www.linkedin.com/posts/erin-d...
A lot of people have been following my journey so I thought I would… | Erin Durant
A lot of people have been following my journey so I thought I would provide an update. Over the last few years, given my mental health challenges, I largely stopped litigating. I was concerned that my...
www.linkedin.com
April 28, 2025 at 10:51 PM
An update on me from my new LinkedIn page (I deleted the old one as a result of some of the things discussed in the post): www.linkedin.com/posts/erin-d...
The going out of business numbers are particularly alarming. That’s a lot of jobs.
Toys under trees could get pricey for Christmas under #trumptariffs. US Toy Companies may go under, "…nearly half of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) state they may soon go out of business due to the current U.S. tariff policy." […]
[Original post on mastodon.online]
[Original post on mastodon.online]
April 27, 2025 at 9:27 PM
The going out of business numbers are particularly alarming. That’s a lot of jobs.
I was interviewed for this article about how the Donald Trump presidency is impacting Canada’s large law firms and their culture.
www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articl...
www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articl...
A chill within the profession
The targeting of U.S. law firms by the Trump administration has led to concerns on this side of the border
www.nationalmagazine.ca
April 27, 2025 at 10:19 AM
I was interviewed for this article about how the Donald Trump presidency is impacting Canada’s large law firms and their culture.
www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articl...
www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articl...
Reposted by Erin Durant
Fmr. V.P. Al Gore: "Something is different about this administration... We are really in danger right now, and we have got to rally the grassroots to take back the destiny of America.
April 26, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Fmr. V.P. Al Gore: "Something is different about this administration... We are really in danger right now, and we have got to rally the grassroots to take back the destiny of America.
What a front page in the Montreal Gazette.
April 26, 2025 at 3:47 PM
What a front page in the Montreal Gazette.
When will the riots start?
BREAKING: @aclu.org says Trump deported a child (U.S. citizen) with metastatic cancer without medication or consultation with physicians. This is the second child with cancer he's deported. www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol... @rollingstone.com
Trump Has Now Deported Multiple U.S. Citizen Children With Cancer
Two families who had lived in the United States for years, including a child with cancer and a pregnant mother, were deported by ICE on Friday.
www.rollingstone.com
April 26, 2025 at 1:22 PM
When will the riots start?
I can’t read the article. Did individual lawyers sign on because their firms wouldn’t?
Hundreds of BigLaw partners and former judges threw their support behind Susman Godfrey's lawsuit over President Donald Trump's executive order targeting the firm. www.law360.com/artic...
BigLaw Partners, Judges Back Susman Godfrey In EO Suit - Law360
Hundreds of BigLaw partners and former judges on Friday threw their support behind Susman Godfrey LLP's lawsuit in D.C. federal court over President Donald Trump's executive order targeting the firm, warning that if "the independent bar is cowed into submission" it will threaten "the rule of law itself."
www.law360.com
April 25, 2025 at 10:36 PM
I can’t read the article. Did individual lawyers sign on because their firms wouldn’t?
Reposted by Erin Durant
"Law students organize to give Trump-caving firms a recruitment problem"
Georgetown Law students made a spreadsheet. National coverage followed. Now, the world's richest firms face PR & recruitment headaches.
An organizer on how it unfolded @www.AllRiseNews.com www.allrisenews.com/p/skadden-st...
Georgetown Law students made a spreadsheet. National coverage followed. Now, the world's richest firms face PR & recruitment headaches.
An organizer on how it unfolded @www.AllRiseNews.com www.allrisenews.com/p/skadden-st...
April 25, 2025 at 12:40 AM
"Law students organize to give Trump-caving firms a recruitment problem"
Georgetown Law students made a spreadsheet. National coverage followed. Now, the world's richest firms face PR & recruitment headaches.
An organizer on how it unfolded @www.AllRiseNews.com www.allrisenews.com/p/skadden-st...
Georgetown Law students made a spreadsheet. National coverage followed. Now, the world's richest firms face PR & recruitment headaches.
An organizer on how it unfolded @www.AllRiseNews.com www.allrisenews.com/p/skadden-st...