
Bill McGinley, Donald Trump wants YOU! (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
In the wake of the controversy over Jones Day‘s work on behalf of Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump, I wondered if JD partner Don McGahn, Trump’s lead lawyer, might break off to start his own boutique. That would let McGahn continue the family tradition of repping the Donald while sparing Jones Day some headache.
But it seems like Jones Day, rather than encouraging McGahn to take his talents elsewhere, is adding more lawyers to Team Trump. Per Politico:

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Donald Trump has made another new significant hire as he prepares for the possibility of a contested convention, bringing William McGinley, a prominent Republican political attorney and a veteran of past delegate battles, into his campaign.
McGinley is expected to advise the Trump campaign on delegate selection battles in the upcoming states and on possible challenges to the credentials of delegates to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, according to people familiar with the hiring.
Bill McGinley is especially well-equipped to help Donald Trump navigate the GOP convention thicket. As noted by Politico, in 2012 McGinley served as counsel to the convention’s rules committee, so he knows the ins and outs of the complex party rules. He also previously served as deputy counsel to the RNC, counsel to the RNC’s Standing Committee on Rules, and general counsel to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
For all of Trump’s ranting against the Establishment, his legal team is as Establishment as it gets. But I suppose that’s consistent with Trump’s use of the bankruptcy or campaign finance laws: sometimes you have to use the system to beat the system.
Earlier: A Closer Look At Don McGahn And Jones Day’s Work For Donald Trump
Jones Day: Helping Donald Trump To Make America Great Again
Will Jones Day Drop Donald Trump As A Client?

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David Lat is the founder and managing editor of Above the Law and the author of Supreme Ambitions: A Novel. You can connect with David on Twitter (@DavidLat), LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can reach him by email at [email protected].