Cadwalader partner reportedly resigns to lead Trump’s representation in Manhattan DA's criminal case
Todd Blanche has resigned from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft to join former President Donald Trump’s defense team. (AP File Photo/Mary Altaffer)
A partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft has left the law firm to join the defense team representing former President Donald Trump in the indictment obtained by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, according to published reports.
The partner is Todd Blanche and he will eventually lead Trump’s representation, according to Politico and Law.com. He is no longer with Cadwalader, a spokesperson confirmed to the ABA Journal. The spokesperson did not comment further.
Politico obtained an email in which Blanche said he was resigning because “I have been asked to represent Trump in the recently charged DA case, and after much thought/consideration, I have decided it is the best thing for me to do and an opportunity I should not pass up.”
“Obviously, doing this as a partner at Cadwalader was not an option, so I have had to make the difficult choice to leave the firm,” the email said.
Blanche is a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School.
An anonymous source told Law.com that Blanche’s exit from Cadwalader was a “happy uncoupling.” He will join a defense team that includes lawyers Joe Tacopina and Susan Necheles.
Blanche’s LinkedIn profile says he was a Cadwalder partner from September 2017 through April 2023. He is now listed as founding partner of Blanche Law.
Trump was indicted on March 30, but the charges have not been released. The indictment likely stems from $130,000 in hush-money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who had alleged an affair with Trump. Trump is likely charged with falsification of business records under New York law, which is a felony if the false record is made with the intent to cover up another crime. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Blanche formerly represented Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was accused of lying to banks to get loans and filing false tax returns to hide assets. Manafort was found guilty on eight counts by federal jurors in August 2018.
Blanche was able to get the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to drop state charges after arguing they covered the same conduct as the federal charges and would constitute double jeopardy, according to Politico.
Blanche had called Manafort’s indictment “politically motivated,” which is the same accusation Trump is making about the current Manhattan district attorney, Politico reports.
