Big Law Firms Asked to Weigh in on Trump IRS Case Jurisdiction

A federal judge overseeing President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS is seeking outside counsel from major firms on whether the court can rule in this case.

Judge Kathleen M. Williams of the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida is asking three law firms to assist the court on deciding whether it has jurisdiction, according to a Wednesday filing. Williams, an Obama appointee, has said it is unclear whether the parties are “sufficiently adverse to each other” for the courts to have subject matter jurisdiction.

The lawyers, which have until May 21 to address the court on this issue, include John Gleeson and David O’Neil of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, Donald Verrilli Jr. of Munger Tolles & Olson LLP, and Faith Gay, Philippe Selendy, and Corey Stoughton of Selendy Gay PLLC. Gleeson was a New York federal judge appointed by former president Bill Clinton and Verrilli served as solicitor general under Obama.

Trump, his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization are suing the IRS and Treasury Department for at least $10 billion over the data breach that resulted in multiple news reports detailing Trump and other wealthy Americans’ tax returns.

The suit puts the Justice Department, which represents the IRS, in an complicated position since the president oversees the government.

Former Booz Allen Hamilton contractor Charles Littlejohn is serving a five-year prison sentence for the data breach. The Trump Organization tried to intervene in Littlejohn’s appeal for a lighter sentence, but a judge in December deferred allowing the motion. Booz Allen is facing multiple lawsuits because of the leak.

Michael Bloomberg was among those affected by the leaks. Bloomberg Law is operated by entities controlled by Bloomberg.

The case is Trump v. Internal Revenue Serv., S.D. Fla., No. 1:26-cv-20609, order 4/29/26