Trump’s hush money trial …
Hope Hicks, a former top aide to Donald Trump, testified on Friday that he told her in the final days of the 2016 presidential election to deny that he had a sexual relationship with porn star Stormy Daniels. Read more about Hicks’ testimony. Justice Juan Merchan said on Friday that a gag order does not bar Donald Trump from testifying in court on his own behalf. Merchan had fined Trump $9,000 on Tuesday for violating the gag order. Emil Bove, a lawyer for Trump, on Thursday sought to portray the hush money payment as extortion.
At the U.S. Supreme Court …
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block a Texas law requiring online age verification to access pornography. The court on Monday declined to hear Elon Musk’s bid to throw out part of a settlement with the SEC that restricts his public statements. Oral arguments for the term are over and opinions are expected next week.
Legal industry …
Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling completed their long-planned merger, officially launching the largest transatlantic law firm combination in years … Clifford Chance tapped Shearman and White & Case partners … Mayer Brown plans to separate from its current Hong Kong operations … And the Boston legal market grows again with Simpson Thacher and Blank Rome launching offices.
