Trump legal team adds new lawyers in January 6 case

Lawyers representing former President Donald J. Trump in his January 6 case added two more associates to represent him. In addition, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office has asked for trial to begin January 2, 2024.

Trump adds two lawyers

Recall that Judge Tanya Chutkan has scheduled a hearing on a protective order in the case (see docket) for tomorrow. The problem: Todd Blanche cannot appear then, because he’ll likely be appearing in a Florida court hearing the Documents Case. But John Lauro, lead counsel for Trump in the January 6 case, has managed to add two new team members.

First, Mr. Filzah Pavalon, a member of the firm of Lauro and Singer, filed a Notice of Appearance yesterday afternoon. He indicated that he would be appearing on retainer.

Second, Lauro’s named partner, Gregory M. Singer, filed a motion for leave to appear pro hac vice in the case. Pro hac vice motions allow lawyers to represent clients in courts in jurisdictions where they (the lawyers) are not licensed. As the Declaration page suggests, a lawyer seeking to represent a client in a “foreign” court must:

• Be a member in good standing of a bar in some jurisdiction, and:
• Not have undergone discipline by any bar, nor been admitted pro hac vice by the court in question for at least two years, nor have an active law practice in the jurisdiction or have any application pending to be a member of the local bar.

At time of posting, Judge Chutkan granted Mr. Singer’s motion. Therefore he will be able to appear for Trump at tomorrow’s protective order hearing.

Other procedural issues

In other news, the government has moved for yet another hearing “pursuant to the Classified Information Procedures Act.” The reasons for a CIPA hearing in this case are not clear.

Furthermore, the government has now filed a brief proposing a trial date and pretrial schedule:

• September 25, 2023: Rule 12 and other dispositive motions
• October 16, 2023: Oppositions to Rule 12 and other dispositive motions
• October 25, 2023: Replies in Support of Rule 12 and other dispositive motions
• TBD: Motions Hearing
• November 13, 2023: Motions in Limine
• November 27, 2023: Oppositions to Motions in Limine
• December 4, 2023: Replies in Support of Motions in Limine
• December 8, 2023: Final Pretrial Conference
• December 11, 2023: Jury Selection
• January 2, 2024: Trial

The government also filed a memorandum in opposition to Trump’s earlier motion to exclude time for most of August until trial. Judge Chutkan has already scheduled a pretrial conference for August 28. The government maintains that the motion to exclude time is redundant, because the Speedy Trial Act already excludes that time.