Trump’s Lawyer
Lawyers start their own law firms for many reasons, but in the case of Donald Trump lawyer Todd Blanche the move from a prestige law firm to his own has apparently left colleagues bewildered.
Blanche’s transition from a prestigious partnership at Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft to his new moniker at Blanche Law and advocating for Trump has left many bewildered and intrigued within legal circles, the New York Times report.
He had also served as a counsel at WilmerHale LLP and had been an associate in the Litigation Department in the New York office of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP.
His work as a prosecutor was extensive. He spent nine years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, including as a supervisor for almost four years. As co-chief of the Violent Crimes unit he supervised investigations and prosecutions involving public corruption, securities fraud, bank and wire frauds, Medicare and federal program frauds, RICO violations, violent crimes, and other criminal violations.
Blanche set up his new firm in April 2023, together with two partners, with an emphasis upon white collar crime and investigations and has also moved from being a registered Democrat in New York, to a registered Republican in Florida, a transformation emblematic of his newfound alignment with Trump’s legal battles. Palm Beach County now beckons as Blanche sets up his legal fortress in proximity to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago retreat.
He is now set to defend Trump on the hush money case, due to start on April 15,
and he will use space at 40 Wall St., the former president’s office tower near the courthouse to handle the defense of his client.
After a well-credentialed career as a federal prosecutor and a white-collar defense lawyer, Blanche, 49, has bet his professional future on representing Trump, the first former U.S. president to be indicted, on the hush money case.
The mystery of why a seasoned legal mind would tether his fate to a figure as polarizing as Trump has left many wondering about the whys and wherefores of the decision.
Yet, for Blanche, the gamble may yield substantial dividends. No longer confined to the confines of a conventional legal career, he now commands center stage in arguably the most consequential legal battle of the era. With Trump’s trials looming large, Blanche finds himself thrust into the spotlight, his every maneuver dissected and analyzed by legal pundits and spectators alike.
As Blanche navigates the labyrinthine recesses of Trump’s legal entanglements, he is not without allies. Former colleagues from the Southern District have rallied to his defense, emphasizing the sacrosanct principle that every defendant, regardless of stature, is entitled to competent legal representation.
Yet, the path forward remains fraught with uncertainty, as Blanche grapples with the formidable task of defending a figure as divisive as Trump in the hallowed halls of justice.
In the forthcoming trial he is working with seasoned co-counsel, Susan Necheles.
No longer just another high-priced defense lawyer in a city full of them, Blanche is handling the country’s most significant criminal case, raising his profile and creating a question about whether a door would open for him in a second Trump administration.
Trump’s lawyer may even wind up on the winning side – whatever the result of the forthcoming hushmoney trial.
