Who is Alina Habba? What we know about Donald Trump’s lawyer
The former president’s lawyer was twice reprimanded by the judge in Trump’s defamation trial.
One of Donald Trump’s slew of court cases continued in Manhattan today. It is the second trial brought by E Jean Carroll, seeking $10 million for the damages that his 2019 attacks on her while he was still president caused.
Carroll testified in court before being cross-examined by Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba. She has been roundly embarrassed by her style of cross-examination, as she has been throughout the trial for her lack of proffessionalism.
She also asked the judged for the trial to be postponed so Trump can go to the funeral of his mother in law, Amalija Knavs. This was declined as Trump does not have to be at the trial in person. However, Habba was once again rebuked by the judge.
“Nobody is stopping [Trump] from [missing the trial or the funeral]. The application is denied. I will hear no further argument on it. None. Do you understand that word? None. Please sit down.”
“I don’t like to be spoken to that way. And we are going to be here for several days,” Habba responded. “I’m not going to speak to [Ms Carroll’s lawyer] Ms Kaplan like that. I will not speak to you like that. I am asking your honour to please refrain from speaking to me in that manner.”
The second request was ignored.
Katie Phang, MSNBC Legal Analyst, said “the lack of competency on the part of Alina Habba is glaringly obvious... she doesn’t know what the hell she is doing.”
Who is Donald Trump’s attorney Alina Habba?
Alina Habba has been practicing law since 2011. Prior to starting her own firm in 2020 she was a managing partner at a mid-sized firm for seven years. According to her practice’s website she successfully expanded its business throughout the entire Northeast region. Habba Madaio & Associates LLP currently has five employees according to Datanyze with revenue approaching $900,000.
In September 2021, Habba became lead attorney defending former president Trump in a defamation case brought by former “Apprentice” contestant Summer Zervos. Just weeks later she filed a $100 million lawsuit against the New York Times and Trump’s niece Mary L Trump on his behalf. Landing Trump as a client was quite the shift for the managing partner of the small law firm Habba Madaio & Associates LLP located near Trump’s Bedminster golf club in New Jersey.
Prior to becoming lead counsel on these high-profile cases, and more since, Habba was suing the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut on behalf of a disgruntled student who wanted a refund for classes going on-line during covid and a New Jersey nursing home for a man over allegedly lax care during the pandemic. So how did she get the job and how is it paying off?
Also see:
Her personal fortunes spiked when she took on Trump as a client with her annual income hitting an estimated $210,000 in 2021. Her net worth jumped anywhere between half a million to a million dollars that year according to Popular Bio.
She has taken on more cases to represent Trump in court and now in the realm of politics as well. She is now a senior advisor to MAGA Inc, his political action committee.