By Quinta Jurecic, Benjamin Wittes in Lawfare: Hard National Security Choices
The sentencing memo of Michael Cohen is a fascinating read on a number of levels: in the quality of its advocacy, in its account of Cohen’s cooperation with authorities, and in its account of the conduct of President Trump.
As a general proposition, good lawyering has not been a distinguishing feature of L’Affaire Russe. From having sensitive attorney meetings in public restaurants in the presence of New York Times reporters, to repeated wild inaccuracies in attorney public statements, to embarrassing legal theories advanced by prominent academics, to attorneys continuing joint defense agreements after their clients reach cooperation arrangements, the lawyering in the Trump-Russia affairs has not shrouded the defense bar in glory.
