Lakewood Talmud is Trump's Defense Attorney

 Observers of President Trump’s criminal trial in New York City may have noticed photos of two yarmulka-clad defense attorneys.

One of them is Gedalia M. Stern, a partner at the law firm of NechelesLaw, where he represents “clients in both federal and state court charged with a variety of crimes, including bribery, benefits fraud, wire fraud, kidnapping…” according to the firm’s website.

Stern spent several years learning at BMG in Lakewood, before attending Columbia Law School, where he graduated in 2014.

In deference to Stern’s observance of Shabbos and Yom Tov, Judge Juan Merchan said the court will adjourn at 2 p.m. Monday (Erev Pesach) “to allow counsel to arrive at their holiday destination.” Although unconfirmed, it appears that there will be no proceedings on all four days of Yom Tov as well.

Stern and his law partner, Susan Necheles, defended the Trump Organization in its 2022 criminal tax fraud trial.

Stern’s father is believed to be Marc Stern, the Chief Legal Officer of the American Jewish Committee (AJC). He also spent 33 years at the American Jewish Congress. In addition he has argued four cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He earned a B.A. at Yeshiva University and a J.D. at the Columbia University School of Law.

According to some reports, Judge Merchan has disqualified Shabbos-observant Jews from being jurors in the case, however this is difficult to understand, especially in light of the fact that Trump’s own defense lawyer keeps Shabbos.