Smart lawyers are here to get ahead. I’ll take whatever case the client is willing to bankroll, and losers are priced accordingly. I’ve taken on some horrifying clunkers because the client was willing to roll the dice on single digit odds and I had bills to pay, and that’s true for most people in the profession. The lawyer still wins if he can say “the client lost, but he would have lost a lot worse without me.” The lawyer who “never loses” is a Hollywood fiction that only exists in the real world in prosecution quotas (where it’s a measure of prosecutorial discretion) and very narrow areas like patent.
In any event, if you’re working for Donald Trump, you’re not in it for the actual representation. You’re betting on the story. Win or lose, you’re networking with archdemons from now on. As long as you don’t commit any felonies yourself, representing Trump ought to be good for your career. It’s not a guarantee, but if somebody asked me right now if I’d take on Trump for any of his cases, knowing I’m not getting paid by Trump? I’d absolutely do it. Trump isn’t the customer–he’s the product. The customer is–in this case–Fox. It’s like going to an Ivy League school. The point isn’t to get the degree; it’s to meet the people who control the rungs on the mobility ladder. Habba might have fucked up royally by not demanding a jury, but she’s absolutely not stupid for representing Trump.
Smart lawyers don’t take cases they know they’re likely to lose
or not get paid for
Or, probably the biggest deal for the most prestigious lawyers, ruin their reputation.
Smart lawyers don’t become Trump’s ‘travel companion.’
Smart lawyers are here to get ahead. I’ll take whatever case the client is willing to bankroll, and losers are priced accordingly. I’ve taken on some horrifying clunkers because the client was willing to roll the dice on single digit odds and I had bills to pay, and that’s true for most people in the profession. The lawyer still wins if he can say “the client lost, but he would have lost a lot worse without me.” The lawyer who “never loses” is a Hollywood fiction that only exists in the real world in prosecution quotas (where it’s a measure of prosecutorial discretion) and very narrow areas like patent.
In any event, if you’re working for Donald Trump, you’re not in it for the actual representation. You’re betting on the story. Win or lose, you’re networking with archdemons from now on. As long as you don’t commit any felonies yourself, representing Trump ought to be good for your career. It’s not a guarantee, but if somebody asked me right now if I’d take on Trump for any of his cases, knowing I’m not getting paid by Trump? I’d absolutely do it. Trump isn’t the customer–he’s the product. The customer is–in this case–Fox. It’s like going to an Ivy League school. The point isn’t to get the degree; it’s to meet the people who control the rungs on the mobility ladder. Habba might have fucked up royally by not demanding a jury, but she’s absolutely not stupid for representing Trump.