Alston & Bird Takes on Trump as a Client by Adding Spears & Imes Litigation Partner
Joanna Hendon is representing President Donald Trump, three of his children, and his company, The Trump Organization, in a lawsuit alleging they defrauded investors by promoting doomed products and services.
June 10, 2020 at 06:20 PM
3 minute read
The original version of this story was published on New York Law Journal
Alston & Bird on Wednesday announced it has poached a white-collar litigator who has defended President Donald Trump in a pair of cases in Manhattan federal court, including an ongoing civil racketeering case.
Joanna Hendon is joining Alston & Bird as a litigation partner in the firm's New York office after more than seven years at Spears & Imes. And she's bringing the president with her. Court filings made Wednesday show Hendon updating her firm information while her co-counsel from Spears & Imes are withdrawing from the case.
Hendon is currently representing Trump, three of his children and his company, The Trump Organization, in a lawsuit alleging they defrauded investors by promoting doomed products and services. In April, a federal judge ruled that the Trumps could not force the plaintiffs into arbitration, a blow to Hendon and her clients.
"Joanna brings a tremendous career marked by an impeccable track record, brilliant experience, and sound counsel in the most sensitive matters," Richard Hays, the firm's chairman and managing partner, said in a press release. "She is one of the very best in the country, and her joining continues our long tradition of leadership at trial and in white-collar defense."
Hendon also represented the president in the fight over the records the FBI seized from the office of Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and confidante.
Hendon's work for the president was not touted in the press release Alston & Bird sent out on Wednesday, though it was mentioned in her bio on Spears & Imes' website. Instead, Alston said Hendon represents clients who are "facing more than one government investigation at a time and parallel civil litigation."
In March, the New York Times reported that Alston & Bird helped funnel a $1 million donation to Project Veritas, a right-wing activist group that secretly records its subjects. That donation was part of a larger report on how Erik Prince, a security contractor who is also the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, has been recruiting former spies for the organization in an effort to infiltrate organizations critical of the president.
The firm told the Times it "has never contributed to Project Veritas on its own behalf, nor is it a client of ours," but declined to comment on the source. It also didn't respond to a separate inquiry from The American Lawyer at the time.
Read More
Alston & Bird Stays Mum Over Reported $1M Donation to Project Veritas
Trump and Family Can't Force Arbitration in Fraud Suit, SDNY Judge Rules
Trump Organization Seeks Extension to Review New Cohen Material for Privilege
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