Back
in
the
day,
S&C
reportedly
refused
to
represent
Trump,
allowing
them
to
avoid
having
to
trade
deep-pocketed
clients
anxious
to
distance
their
brands
from
the
most
toxic
client
in
America,
in
exchange
for
the
honor
of
getting
stiffed
on
the
bill.
But
this
time
around,
corporate
America
appears
actively
interested
in
currying
favor
with
the
White
House
any
way
they
can
and
a
cozy
relationship
with
Trump
is
not
only
no
longer
a
negative,
it
might
actually
be
a
firm
selling
point.
And
so
Sullivan
&
Cromwell
publicly
announced
that
it’s
going
to
represent
Trump
as
he
challenges
the
hush
money
conviction.
For
their
sake,
I
hope
they’ve
already
written
off
any
potential
fees.
Firm
leadership
might
see
this
matter
as
an
opportunity
to
show
clients
that
they
have
Trump’s
ear,
which
remains
surprisingly
pristine
one
for
a
guy
who
swears
it
was
shot
off
by
a
sniper.
But
the
decision
is
already
alienating
the
firm’s
attorneys.
According
to
one
S&C
attorney
who
purports
to
have
spoken
with
multiple S&C colleagues,
the
mood
is
that
everyone
is
“upset
with
the
announcement
that
we’ll
be
representing
Trump.”
Another
notes
that
it
will
“likely
to
grow
into
a
morale
drain
among
associates.”
An
attorney
on
Reddit
put
it
bluntly,
“Is
it
dramatic
to
want
to
leave?
I’m
a
POC
and
I
know
everyone
has
a
right
to
a
fair
trial
but
(in
my
eyes)
he
is
a
sexual
predator/fascist/criminal/threat
to
democracy
and
I
feel
a
little
too
uncomfortable
considering
just
how
much
damage
this
man
has
done.”
And
while
there
may
be
general
dismay
with
representing
Trump
as
a
person,
for
one
S&C
lawyer
it’s
less
about
the
client
than
that
client’s
history
of
forcing
his
lawyers
to
publicly
debase
themselves
by
litigating
cases
his
way.
It
does
not
appear
that
we
are
treating
this
like
a
normal S&C appeal
where
we
stay
quiet
and
do
great
legal
work.
To
have
the
head
of
the
Firm
talking
about
D.A.
Bragg
“target[ing]”
President
Trump
is
completely
antithetical
to
anything
I
have
experienced
in
my
time
at
the
Firm
before.
I
had
always
been
proud
that
we
emphasize
precision
and
accuracy
in
what
we
say—eschewing
exaggerations,
hyperbole
and
personal
attacks. Very
alienating
to
see
senior
management
abandoning
that.
It
seems
S&C
has
entered
its
Roy
Cohn
era.
S&C
pays
market
and
provides
matching
bonuses
so
they’ll
not
find
themselves
bereft
of
talent
right
away.
But
when
the
next
up-and-coming
talent
weighs
their
summer
offers
or
a
thriving
associate
gets
a
call
from
a
recruiter…
are
they
going
to
be
interested
in
a
career
with
Roy
Cohn
Lite,
LLP
or
somewhere
else?
Earlier:
Sullivan
&
Cromwell
Joins
Trump
Defense
As
Age
Of
Obsequiousness
Begins!
Joe
Patrice is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law
and
co-host
of
Thinking
Like
A
Lawyer.
Feel
free
to email
any
tips,
questions,
or
comments.
Follow
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if
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Joe
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