Trump Ally Alina Habba Faces Ethics Case Over $15,000 Settlement
New Jersey attorney ethics authorities have filed a disciplinary complaint against Alina Habba Mildon, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and former U.S. attorney for New Jersey, accusing her of professional misconduct in connection with a 2021 sexual-harassment dispute at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.
The case centers on Alice Bianco, who was 21 and working as a server at the Bedminster club when she alleged that a manager sexually harassed her and pressured her into sexual conduct in exchange for keeping her job. Mildon became involved while she was a member of the club and before she began representing Trump personally.
According to the disciplinary complaint, Mildon helped persuade Bianco to stop working with her existing attorney and instead rely on Mildon during settlement discussions. Ethics officials allege Mildon did not disclose conflicts arising from her relationship with the golf club or clearly establish that she was not acting as Bianco’s lawyer.
The dispute ultimately ended with a $15,000 settlement in August 2021. The ethics complaint alleges the amount was substantially below what Bianco’s original lawyer believed the case could have been worth. Bianco also signed a nondisclosure agreement as part of the settlement.
New Jersey ethics officials say the nondisclosure agreement itself violated state workplace-discrimination law. They also allege Mildon improperly allowed her personal and professional interests to conflict with Bianco’s interests during the settlement process.
Mildon has described her role differently. According to the disciplinary proceedings, she told investigators that she considered herself a neutral party attempting to help the sides resolve the dispute. Ethics officials rejected that characterization, concluding that she could not properly act as a neutral because of her relationships and interests in the matter.
Bianco later obtained new legal representation and sued Mildon and the golf club, alleging that she had been fraudulently induced into accepting the earlier settlement and signing the nondisclosure agreement. That civil litigation ultimately ended with a $400,000 settlement in 2023.
The ethics investigation also examined Mildon’s financial relationship with Trump. Investigators alleged that records showed her earliest payment from Trump came shortly after the $15,000 settlement, although the ethics case is focused on her conduct as an attorney rather than making a criminal finding.
The complaint alleges multiple professional-conduct violations, including conflicts of interest and problems with how Mildon handled the settlement and her role in the matter. It follows an investigation that lasted several years and included an interview with Mildon.
The disciplinary case could have significant consequences for Mildon’s New Jersey law license. Possible sanctions range from an admonishment or other discipline to disbarment, but no final punishment has been imposed. The New Jersey Supreme Court will ultimately determine any discipline after the proceedings are completed.
Mildon’s attorney characterized the complaint as the beginning of a lengthy process and argued that the allegations concern conduct from more than five years ago. The defense is expected to contest the ethics allegations during the proceedings.
The ethics complaint arrives after a turbulent period in Mildon’s career. She served as Trump’s personal lawyer before becoming acting/interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey during his second administration, a position she left after federal judges ruled she had been serving unlawfully. The new disciplinary proceeding does not itself establish that the underlying sexual-harassment allegations were true or that Mildon committed the alleged misconduct.
Key Legal Outcome
- Ethics complaint filed: New Jersey’s Office of Attorney Ethics has formally charged Alina Habba Mildon with alleged professional misconduct.
- Conflict allegations: Authorities say she failed to properly disclose conflicts while assisting with Bianco’s settlement.
- $15,000 settlement: Bianco accepted a $15,000 agreement after allegedly being persuaded to abandon her original lawyer.
- Later $400,000 settlement: Bianco subsequently sued and reached a $400,000 settlement.
- Potential discipline: Mildon could face sanctions ranging from an admonishment to disbarment, subject to a final decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Why It Matters
- The proceeding could threaten the New Jersey law license of a former Trump personal attorney and federal prosecutor.
- It raises questions about attorneys’ duties when personal, client and third-party interests overlap.
- The nondisclosure agreement adds a separate legal issue because New Jersey law restricts such agreements in workplace-discrimination matters.
- The case illustrates how conduct predating a lawyer’s government service can later trigger professional-discipline proceedings.
- A formal ethics complaint is not a final finding of misconduct; Mildon will have an opportunity to contest the allegations.
