A small law firm in New Jersey, Habba Madaio & Associates, has received a substantial payday by representing former President Donald Trump in high-profile lawsuits. Trump’s political action committees have paid the firm $6.9 million to represent him in at least nine cases, including defending him in a defamation lawsuit filed by E. Jean Carroll and in a civil fraud trial brought by the New York attorney general. Trump was found liable in both cases and ordered to pay $538 million in fines and interest, but he is appealing both verdicts.
The law firm is led by managing partner Alina Habba, who is 39 years old, and has just four lawyers. The firm is located in Bedminster, New Jersey, only three miles from the Trump Bedminster golf course where the former president has spent summers since leaving the White House. Habba Madaio offers litigation and counseling services in various civil, commercial, and business-related matters. It is unclear why Trump chose this particular firm to represent him in these cases.
Trump’s leadership PAC, Save America, has paid Habba Madaio $6.5 million since February 2022 and still owes the firm $534,000, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Another PAC, Make America Great Again, has paid the firm an additional $346,000 for legal fees. Habba and her law partner, Michael Madaio, have represented Trump in multiple cases, including lawsuits against his niece, Mary L. Trump, and the New York Times. Habba is currently serving as lead counsel in these cases.
Habba Madaio has also worked on other cases for Trump, such as defending him against a defamation suit by Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos in 2017 who accused him of sexual assault. Additionally, the firm handled a lawsuit brought by Trump Tower protesters and an ongoing case involving a voting-machine warehouse supervisor in Pennsylvania. Habba has faced legal challenges herself, as she and Trump were jointly ordered to pay $938,000 in sanctions over a lawsuit Trump filed against Hillary Clinton for racketeering conspiracy. Habba stated that both she and Trump paid the fine.
In 2023, a judge ruled in favor of Mary L. Trump, allowing her suit to proceed. She argued she could terminate a confidential agreement with her uncle at will. Habba’s firm has handled several other cases for Trump, including an ongoing lawsuit filed by a voting-machine warehouse supervisor in Pennsylvania, and former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s suit alleging that his imprisonment was retaliatory, which was dismissed. Habba and Trump contested all these claims, but the results varied.
Despite facing legal challenges from representing Trump, Habba Madaio & Associates has seen significant financial gains from representing the former president in high-profile lawsuits. The firm has received millions in payments from Trump’s political action committees and has worked on several cases on his behalf. Habba has played a key role in Trump’s defense in various lawsuits and has had both successes and setbacks in representing him. The future of their legal work together remains uncertain as Trump continues to appeal some of the unfavorable verdicts.
