This is a huge case. It’s going to take hundreds, if not thousands of billable hours. Any attorney that’s competent that takes this case has to know that they’re probably not going to see even a fraction of that money, meaning that they’ll be without income for a long period of time. A competent attorney that’s not ideologically motivated and independently wealthy is unlikely to be able to take the case. (An _in_competent attorney that doesn’t realize this fact might take the case, and then not be allowed to withdraw from the case by the judge.)
Second, Trump has a history of running his mouth in public. The attorneys that are going to be defending him need to have national security clearances in order to be effective counsel. If Trump talks about the cases in public, he could cost his attorneys their security clearances, which would not only impede their ability to defend him, but could also prevent them from being able to defend similar clients in the future. If I was an attorney, that would be a really big fucking deal. Not only would I be unlikely to be get paid, but there would be a real risk that Trump could harm my ability to earn income in the future.
If I was a competent attorney with a track record of defending this kind of case, this case would be radioactive.
Lawyers can potentially get sanctioned for client conduct. I can see a potential problem if attorney are given access to classified information for defense prep, then Trump accesses the information, and then disseminates that information. It’s a bit of a stretch, but given how bad Trump’s behaviour has been, that’s not a stretch I would ignore if I was an attorney.
I’d need a Real Attorney to chime in, but I think that, once you’re actually in a trial, you can’t dump your client without the permission from the judge. (You also can’t intentionally stop providing your best service for any reason at all, not unless you want to be sanctioned or disbarred.) So while an attorney could insist on money up front, if the money they were paid didn’t cover the real expenses, they could still end up getting stiffed. I suppose the ‘smart’ thing to do would be to have $100M put in an escrow account, and the money can only be released from the account if both parties agree. So if Trump tries to stiff you for the bill, he’s still out the money since you don’t have to release it back to him. Kinda like what The Silk Road used to do, only even shadier, since you’d be working for Trump.
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THIS is what’s going to bite him in the ass.
This is a huge case. It’s going to take hundreds, if not thousands of billable hours. Any attorney that’s competent that takes this case has to know that they’re probably not going to see even a fraction of that money, meaning that they’ll be without income for a long period of time. A competent attorney that’s not ideologically motivated and independently wealthy is unlikely to be able to take the case. (An _in_competent attorney that doesn’t realize this fact might take the case, and then not be allowed to withdraw from the case by the judge.)
Second, Trump has a history of running his mouth in public. The attorneys that are going to be defending him need to have national security clearances in order to be effective counsel. If Trump talks about the cases in public, he could cost his attorneys their security clearances, which would not only impede their ability to defend him, but could also prevent them from being able to defend similar clients in the future. If I was an attorney, that would be a really big fucking deal. Not only would I be unlikely to be get paid, but there would be a real risk that Trump could harm my ability to earn income in the future.
If I was a competent attorney with a track record of defending this kind of case, this case would be radioactive.
Excuse my ignorance, but why would Trump running his mouth in public put his attorneys’ clearance at risk?
Lawyers can potentially get sanctioned for client conduct. I can see a potential problem if attorney are given access to classified information for defense prep, then Trump accesses the information, and then disseminates that information. It’s a bit of a stretch, but given how bad Trump’s behaviour has been, that’s not a stretch I would ignore if I was an attorney.
And then you’ve got to add in that Trump likes to pressure his attorneys to do illegal things which could result in THEM being tried for crimes.
Trump is perhaps the worst client a lawyer could possibly represent.
Are there pre-paid attorneys?
I’d need a Real Attorney to chime in, but I think that, once you’re actually in a trial, you can’t dump your client without the permission from the judge. (You also can’t intentionally stop providing your best service for any reason at all, not unless you want to be sanctioned or disbarred.) So while an attorney could insist on money up front, if the money they were paid didn’t cover the real expenses, they could still end up getting stiffed. I suppose the ‘smart’ thing to do would be to have $100M put in an escrow account, and the money can only be released from the account if both parties agree. So if Trump tries to stiff you for the bill, he’s still out the money since you don’t have to release it back to him. Kinda like what The Silk Road used to do, only even shadier, since you’d be working for Trump.
Law is weird^^
Thanks for the explanation!
Isn’t that what a retainer is for?
Heh, sounds like something I’d find at the corner kiosk. “I’d like to top up my pre-paid lawyer card.”
Trump would be a regular customer. If he wouldn’t have to pay for it.