Key Trump Lawyer Is Facing His Own Legal Headache

One of Donald Trump's newest attorneys is facing a legal headache of his own as he navigates the former president's legal woes.

As Todd Blanche defends his new, high-profile client against the Florida federal indictment, two of his ex-clients have sued him and his former New York-based law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft on allegations of legal malpractice.

Blanche was one of Trump's key attorneys at the former president's arraignment on Tuesday. Trump was indicted last Thursday and faces 37 felony counts, ranging from willful retention of classified documents to obstruction charges, in connection with the Department of Justice's (DOJ) investigation into his handling of classified documents after leaving office. He is the first president to face federal charges.

Brothers Adam Kaplan and Daniel Kaplan are suing Blanche and the law firm, alleging that their signatures were forged on a retainer agreement and that the brothers were overbilled. Blanche and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft represented the brothers during an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The brothers retained Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in 2021. The SEC has since charged the brothers in March with engaging in "several different fraudulent activities to misappropriate more than $5 million from at least 60 of their investment advisory clients," according to a press release from the commission.

However, Blanche told Newsweek that the lawsuit was not based in fact.

"This lawsuit has no legitimate factual or legal basis," he told Newsweek on Thursday.

Newsweek reached out to Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft by email for comment. Blanche is no longer involved with the firm given his new client.

The brothers have a history of filing malpractice lawsuits against their former law firms. In 2020, New York-based law firm Conway and Conway sued the brothers for nonpayment of legal fees amounting to $44,864.28, according to documents reviewed by Newsweek. The Kaplan brothers didn't pay the fees and sued the firm for legal malpractice.

The lawsuit against Conway and Conway was dismissed, and the firm was awarded costs and disbursements.

In the lawsuit, Conway and Conway alleged that the "Defendants' history of frivolous litigation includes lawsuits against two schools which defendants attended, one to attempt to compel a school to change their grades, and the other to attempt to compel a school to designate them with certain honors.

"Defendants sued their own customers at Merrill Lynch because those customers complained to Defendants' supervisor about Defendants' handling of their accounts," the complaint added.

Legal malpractice, if proven, can bring forth harsh consequences. Lawyers can be suspended or even disbarred if found guilty.

According to a report by the New York Law Journal, Blanche and the law firm have refused to provide the case file to the brothers' new counsel. The brothers allege that this is because they are attempting to cover up the forged signatures.

The brothers, now represented by attorney Daniel Abrams, are seeking damages and a return of $1.65 million. The lawsuit was filed on Monday in Nassau County, New York.

Newsweek reached out to Abrams by phone for comment.

Blanche joined Trump's team in early April. The former federal prosecutor is highly experienced in white-collar defense cases and had ties to other Trump-related cases.

The attorney previously represented Paul Manafort, a former Trump campaign chairman who was sentenced to prison for various financial crimes.

Blanche also represented Igor Fruman, an associate of former Trump lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Fruman pleaded guilty in a campaign finance case.

Since joining the legal team, Blanche was appointed as Trump's representation for the classified documents investigation after two other attorneys designated to the matter resigned on June 9.

Trump's legal team was unsuccessful in recruiting new Florida-based attorneys experienced in the matter prior to the arraignment on Tuesday, and several attorneys refused to represent the former president in court. Without a new team, Blanche and attorney Chris Kise represented Trump in court.

Blanche has already fiercely defended his client, adding a personal touch to the not guilty plea he entered in court on Tuesday.

"We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty," Blanche said, according to multiple news reports from reporters in the room during the arraignment.

Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign by email for comment.