President-elect Donald Trump has appointed his personal lawyer, Alina Habba, as counselor to the president, recognizing her unwavering loyalty and fierce defense of him since 2021. Habba, a first-generation American of Middle Eastern heritage, has been a prominent figure in Trump's legal battles and campaign, and her new role highlights her importance within his inner circle.
Alan Dershowitz has announced the formation of a 'legal dream team' to defend Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) following the indictment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This move comes as Israel faces legal challenges on the international stage, and Dershowitz, a prominent lawyer, aims to assemble a team of top legal experts to address these issues.
Former President Trump has announced his intention to nominate attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove to senior roles in the Department of Justice, with Blanche as deputy attorney general and Bove as principal associate deputy attorney general. Additionally, Trump plans to appoint Dean John Sauer as solicitor general, following his role in securing a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity. Trump also intends to nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general, signaling a significant reshaping of the DOJ under his potential second term.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has deployed an Election Day Rapid Response Legal Team across major counties to monitor and address any legal issues during the election. This team aims to enforce Texas election laws and respond to potential problems like ballot shortages and improper voting hour extensions. The initiative also includes defending against litigation from activist groups and ensuring compliance with federal voter registration laws. Paxton emphasizes the importance of election integrity and has taken legal actions to protect it, including defending the state's election integrity law, Senate Bill 1.
American Airlines has fired its legal team after a court filing blamed a 9-year-old girl for being recorded by a flight attendant while using the bathroom. The airline has hired new legal representation and stated that it does not believe the child is at fault. The former flight attendant has been charged with recording minors and possessing child sexual abuse images. The girl's lawyer expects the new legal team to take responsibility for the incident.
American Airlines fired its legal team after the lawyers blamed a 9-year-old girl for being filmed by a flight attendant in the bathroom. The airline retracted the filing, apologized, and distanced itself from the claim, emphasizing that the child was not at fault. The flight attendant, Estes Carter Thompson III, was arrested for allegedly filming multiple underage girls. The girl's family welcomed the change in legal representation and hopes the airline will take responsibility.
Evan Corcoran, an attorney for Donald Trump who became a crucial witness in the classified documents case against the former president, has left Trump's legal team. His departure could pose a significant issue for Trump, as he may be called as a key witness if the case goes to trial. Corcoran's memos detailed interactions with Trump and revealed how Trump allegedly schemed to undermine a subpoena from prosecutors. His departure underscores the loss of institutional knowledge from attorneys who were deeply involved in the investigations before the historic indictments.
Donald Trump's legal team is facing an unprecedented challenge as they defend him in multiple criminal and civil cases, including felony charges of obstructing a U.S. election and retaining national security information improperly. Trump's attorneys are navigating a complex legal landscape, with conflicting demands and an aggressive trial timetable, while also contending with the former president's fickle and demanding nature. Despite the challenges, Trump has assembled a veteran legal team led by attorneys Todd Blanche, Chris Kise, Steve Sadow, and John Lauro, who are facing the unique task of defending a former president in criminal court.
Mary Trump, Donald Trump's niece, believes his recent victory in the Iowa caucuses has been "undermined" by the departure of three lawyers from his legal team, including Joseph Tacopina. Tacopina's withdrawal comes ahead of representing Trump in two major cases in New York, including a criminal trial and a civil case involving hush money payments and allegations of rape. The reasons for the lawyers' departure are unclear, but speculation includes a breach of confidence, a difference of opinion, or a failure of payment.
The South African Legal team returns from The Hague after advocating for justice and accountability in the Gaza conflict, emphasizing the ongoing struggle and the need for a legal approach. Their efforts have garnered praise and hope, with a focus on South Africa's solidarity with Palestine and the global impact of their work. As the conflict persists, the world awaits a verdict from the International Court of Justice while lives are lost and millions are displaced.
Indicted Sen. Bob Menendez has added attorney Yaakov Roth, known for Supreme Court successes in corruption cases, to his legal team and seeks dismissal of charges, arguing that the allegations distort reality and criminalize routine legislative activity. Menendez's lawyers cite Roth's success in the McDonnell case, which narrowed the definition of corruption, and argue that the successive indictments against Menendez are a tactic to convict him in the court of public opinion. Menendez is scheduled to go on trial in May and has resisted calls to resign, facing a primary race to succeed him in New Jersey.
Hunter Biden's legal team is considering how to respond to a subpoena issued by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, while James Biden's legal representatives have been in communication with the committee. The committee has asked James Biden to appear for an interview on December 6th. Hunter Biden's team has not yet offered any insight into how he plans to respond. The subpoenas are part of the committee's wide-ranging impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and his family's business dealings. The White House has challenged the legitimacy of the subpoena requests, but the committee intends to enforce them.
Former President Donald Trump claimed that Sidney Powell, who recently pleaded guilty in the Georgia election subversion case, was "never" his attorney, despite her brief stint as an official member of his legal team in 2020. Trump's attempt to distance himself from Powell comes after she agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and potentially testify against her co-defendants, including Trump. Powell peddled unfounded conspiracy theories about election fraud and met with Trump on multiple occasions. In her guilty plea, Powell admitted her role in breaching election systems in Georgia.
Former President Donald Trump has added two new attorneys, including a former federal prosecutor from New York, to his legal team. Emil Bove, a former co-chief of the national security unit at the US attorney's office for the Southern District of New York, and Kendra Wharton, a white-collar defense lawyer with experience in Washington, DC, will assist Trump's legal team in his defense against federal indictments and state criminal prosecutions. Trump's legal team has undergone changes in recent months, with Todd Blanche now leading the team alongside attorney John Lauro in defending Trump in the federal election interference case.
A retired judge criticized Donald Trump's legal team for comparing their desire to delay the start of his federal election conspiracy trial to the historic Powell v. Alabama case, calling it "stunningly stupid" and absurd. The judge emphasized that Trump's team had experienced lawyers and investigators, and their comparison was a surefire way to alienate the judge, who is a female and Black.