John Eastman is disbarred in California for his Trump-related work but practicing law on the federal bench and decrying 'despicable cancel culture'

Being disbarred in California is not stopping conservative attorney John Eastman from practicing on the federal bench.

Last week, Eastman, a former Chapman University School of Law professor, filed an entry of appearance notice in a lawsuit brought by University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax against Penn.

The underlying lawsuit takes issue with discipline the university meted out to Wax over comments she made about Black students.

"Here's a very inconvenient fact," Wax said during a 2018 interview. "I don't think I've ever seen a Black student graduate in the top quarter of the class and rarely, rarely in the top half."

As a result of the comments, after a yearslong process, Penn suspended Wax for one year with half pay, suspended her summer pay "in perpetuity," removed her named chair, and issued a public reprimand.

In January 2025, Wax filed her lawsuit on breach of contract, invasion of privacy, and statutory grounds. Then, in August 2025, the federal district court dismissed the lawsuit in a victory for Penn — and refused to allow her to file an amended complaint. In September 2025, Wax filed a notice of appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.

That appellate process is now in full swing and Eastman is slated to argue on Wax's behalf during oral argument in November, which was originally reported by Reuters wire service.

"I was delighted to accept Professor Wax's request to represent her on this important appeal," Eastman said in an emailed statement. "In many ways, Penn's efforts to cancel her are part of a broader, despicable cancel culture of which my own Cal Bar proceedings are a part."

In April 2026, Eastman was formally disbarred by the California Supreme Court in a relatively terse disposition of the lengthy case — denying petitions for review submitted last year by both Eastman and the State Bar of California.

"The petitions for review are denied," the high court said. "The court orders that John Charles Eastman (Respondent), State Bar Number 193726, is disbarred from the practice of law in California and that Respondent's name is stricken from the roll of attorneys."

By ruling against both petitions, the high court effectively endorsed the rulings issued by both the trial court and appellate court earlier in the process. Those lower courts recommended Eastman's disbarment over his work as a key architect of President Donald Trump's failed efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Specifically, Eastman authored two of the many so-called "coup memos." Those memos variously advised on potential scenarios under which Joe Biden's Electoral College victory could be set aside.

In the end, the lower courts, in somewhat limited decisions, found Eastman's legal work for Trump involved "multiple acts of moral turpitude."

Eastman, for his part, does not think the California ruling will have much, if any, bearing on his work for Wax in the 3rd Circuit — where he has been a member of the bar since 2017. A secondary notice filed by Eastman on Sept. 11 shows his status on the 3rd Circuit bar.

"Those proceedings were so obviously political that I do not expect them to be a source of any concern in the Third Circuit," Eastman continued. "Indeed, the Third Circuit was made aware of the California Bar ruling but has retained me as an active member of its bar. I look forward to the argument in November and addressing for the Court the very significant issues raised by the appeal."

Law&Crime reached out to California bar authorities about this story, but no substantive response was forthcoming at the time of publication.

In its own petition, the California bar wanted Eastman's case to stand "as future citable authority," but was ultimately rebuffed.