If I had a nickel for every time a Biglaw attorney wound up on the Trump hush money jury, I’d have two nickels. An unusual phenomenon, given that New York City may be the epicenter of the Biglaw world. The fact that not one, but two Biglaw attorneys are on the Trump jury truly draws attention.
In the first two days of jury selection, 7 members of the jury were chosen and anonymized sketches of who will determine the fate of the former president are making the rounds. But for legal industry insiders, the attorneys that litter the jury become the focal point. There was a time when being a lawyer virtually guaranteed a strike, but with the hyper specialization of the legal field, prosecutors and defense attorneys are more receptive.
So, what do we know about these Biglaw attorneys? As reported by Law360, one is a civil litigator at Hunton Andrews Kurth, the other a corporate attorney at Gunderson Dettmer.
The Hunton Andrews’ attorney’s stance on the Trump presidency is rather mixed. He claims no personal opinions about Trump.
The attorney also disclosed that he wouldn’t have any trouble reconciling his job as a lawyer and serving in a criminal case.
“I’m a civil litigator, which means I know virtually nothing about criminal law. I don’t know anything about election or finance law either,” he admitted. However, he believes he can set aside any knowledge he does have in those areas while serving as a juror.
The corporate attorney is juror No. 3. He reportedly told prosecutors “you don’t need to read somebody’s mind” to reach a conclusion on criminal intent. Regarding the other charges pending against Trump in other venues, he admitted, “I’m not super familiar with the other charges.” Adding, “I don’t really follow the news that closely, unfortunately.”
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