BEDMINSTER, NJ — Former Donald Trump attorney Alina Habba Mildon is facing an ethics charge over her handling of a 2021 sexual harassment lawsuit at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster.
The New Jersey Office of Attorney Ethics filed the disciplinary complaint against Mildon on Tuesday, claiming she convinced Alice Bianco, a former server at the club, to settle her 2021 lawsuit for only $15,000 and drop her attorney.
NJOAE also claims Mildon did not tell Bianco she was a paying member of the club.
In 2023, Bianco hired a new attorney Nancy Erika Smith to file a new lawsuit against Trump's Golf Club, claiming she was tricked into signing a non-disclosure agreement by Mildon.
According to Bianco, in July 2021, she claims Mildon reached out to her.
Over time, Bianco claims Mildon pretended to be her friend, tricked her into getting rid of her attorney, and eventually got Bianco to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
The agreement gave Bianco a "paltry sum" in exchange for not talking about what happened. It also had a penalty of $1,000 a day if Bianco violated it.
The settlement was $15,000.
"Alina Habba used the unethical silencing of my client, Ali Bianco, as a way to propel herself into Trump's inner circle. Her behavior was predatory. Pretending to be 'neutral' when acting on behalf of one party is clearly unethical," said Bianco's attorney Nancy Erika Smith said in 2023. "Habba knew Bianco had a lawyer but targeted and manipulated her to enter into an agreement favorable to Trump, with an illegal NDA, for a fraction of what a typical settlement would be for these claims. At every stage Habba violated legal ethics - it's no wonder she succeeded in impressing Donald Trump, her true client."
"I didn't know my rights. I didn't know Alina wasn't supposed to discuss a case with me without my lawyer. I didn't know New Jersey had banned non-disclosure agreements for victims of sexual harassment. All I knew was that the person claiming to be my friend and advisor threw me in the trash as soon as she pressured me into silence," said Bianco in 2023, who has moved on to a career as a recording artist. "As an artist, I want my voice back and I want to help give a voice back to any other woman out there who is being silenced under false pretenses in violation of the law."
Bianco's 2023 lawsuit was settled for $400,000, according to Reuters.
Smith, in a statement, said Mildon "got my client to terminate her lawyer, accept a ridiculously low settlement, and agree to an illegal non-disclosure agreement, silencing her." Smith said, "numerous ethics violations in that scenario should result in disbarment," according to Reuters.
Mildon, 42, is a native of Summit and served as President Trump's longtime personal attorney and legal adviser to his campaign. She represented the president in multiple civil and criminal cases, including the battles with New York Attorney General Letitia James and author E. Jean Carroll.
Mildon also served as New Jersey's Top Prosecutor until last year, when a U.S. judge ruled her appointment was unlawful.
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