Benchslaps

Michael Cohen's Legal Team Gets Benchslapped

Judge Kimba Wood drops the mic.

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A good deal of words have been said detailing the legal maneuvers surrounding the materials seized in the FBI’s raid of Trump Organization lawyer, Michael Cohen. And it makes sense — after all, Sean Hannity’s relationship with the controversial Cohen was brought to light, Biglaw firms have gotten caught up in the mess, and the nuances of attorney-client privilege have gotten above the fold treatment.

But despite all the attention, we here at Above the Law have been negligent in discussing the benchslap S.D.N.Y. Judge Kimba Wood lobbed at Cohen’s attorneys.

See, in the midst of Monday’s hearing on the proper procedure for documents seized in the raid, assistant U.S. attorney Thomas McKay argued that a government taint team should review the seized materials for potential privilege. He pointed to the way the defense team dicked around in providing the name of Cohen’s infamous third client (revealed to be Sean Hannity), saying Cohen’s lawyers weren’t interested in fair play, but in delaying the proceedings:

“The continued resistance to provide the court with facts and names is a sign of what’s to come.”

The defense lawyers didn’t take that jab lying down. Cohen’s lawyer Todd Harrison responded by insisting, “We’re good people.”

But it was Judge Wood’s response that shut down the discussion (and it was a good deal more mature than my preferred, “Maybe, but your client is a sack of sh*t, so…”). She interrupted Harrison, saying:

“It’s not that you’re not good people. It’s that you’ve mis-cited the law at times.”

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Mic drop.

headshotKathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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