Todd Blanche is a prominent American lawyer and the founding partner of Blanche Law, a white-collar defense and investigations firm. He has been involved in some of the most high-profile cases in recent years, representing former President Donald Trump, his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and his former associate Igor Fruman. He is also a former federal prosecutor with extensive experience in investigating and prosecuting various types of white-collar crimes.
Early Life and Education
Todd Blanche was born on August 6, 1974, in New York City, to Richard and Pamela Blanche. He attended the American University in Washington, D.C., where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government & Political Science in 1996. He then pursued his law degree at Brooklyn Law School, where he graduated with cum laude honors in 2003.
Career as a Prosecutor
After graduating from law school, Blanche began his career as a paralegal in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) in 1999. He then served as a law clerk for two federal judges: the Honorable Denny Chin and the Honorable Joseph F. Bianco. In 2006, he became an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the SDNY, where he worked for nine years. During his tenure, he investigated and prosecuted various white-collar crimes, such as tax fraud, money laundering, Medicaid and federal programs frauds, bank and wire frauds, racketeering, homicides, armed robberies, firearms and narcotics offenses. He also handled several high-profile cases, such as the prosecution of former New York State Senator Malcolm Smith for bribery and corruption, and the prosecution of former New York City Councilman Daniel Halloran for fraud and obstruction of justice.
Career as a Defense Lawyer
In 2014, Blanche left the U.S. Attorney’s Office and joined WilmerHale, a prestigious law firm, as a counsel in its white-collar defense and investigations practice. He worked there for three years, representing clients in various criminal and civil matters, such as securities fraud, insider trading, antitrust, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and False Claims Act (FCA) cases. He also conducted internal investigations for corporate clients.
In 2017, Blanche moved to Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, the oldest law firm in New York City, as a partner in its white-collar defense and investigations group. He worked there for five years, handling complex and sensitive cases involving individuals and corporations facing criminal and regulatory investigations and actions. He also represented clients in civil litigation and arbitration matters.
Some of his notable clients at Cadwalader included Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman of Donald Trump, who was charged with tax fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy by the Special Counsel Robert Mueller in connection with his lobbying activities in Ukraine; and Igor Fruman, a former associate of Rudy Giuliani, who was charged with campaign finance violations, fraud, and conspiracy by the SDNY in connection with his efforts to dig up dirt on Trump’s political rivals in Ukraine.
In April 2023, Blanche left Cadwalader and founded his own law firm, Blanche Law, along with two other former Cadwalader partners, Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina. He also joined Donald Trump’s legal team, along with Necheles and Tacopina, to defend him in two criminal cases: one in New York City, where he was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly paying hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels to conceal their affair; and one in Miami, where he was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly mishandling classified documents after leaving the White House.
Personal Life
Todd Blanche is married to Jennifer Blanche, a former prosecutor and a partner at the law firm of Cohen & Gresser. They have two children, a son and a daughter. They live in Manhattan, New York. Blanche is a fan of sports, especially baseball and football. He supports the New York Yankees and the New York Giants.
Net Worth and Salary
Todd Blanche’s net worth and salary are not publicly disclosed, but he is estimated to be one of the highest-paid lawyers in the country, given his reputation and experience in the legal field. According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft is $1,032,000 per year. Blanche’s salary at his own firm, Blanche Law, is likely to be higher than that. His net worth is also likely to be in the millions, as he owns a luxury apartment in Manhattan, valued at $4.5 million, according to the New York Post.
Social Media
Todd Blanche does not have any official social media accounts, such as Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. He prefers to keep a low profile and focus on his legal work. However, he has a profile on LinkedIn, where he lists his professional achievements and affiliations. He also has a profile on the website of his law firm, Blanche Law, where he provides his contact information and a brief biography.
Some Lesser Known Facts About Todd Blanche
- He graduated from Brooklyn Law School with cum laude honors, which means he was among the top 10% of his class.
- He was named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, a rating service that recognizes outstanding lawyers, in 2014 and 2015.
- He was named a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, a guide that identifies the leading litigation firms and lawyers, in 2020 and 2021.
- He has been recognized by The Legal 500, a directory that ranks the best lawyers and law firms, in the categories of white-collar criminal defense and corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense in 2020 and 2021.
- He has been featured in various media outlets, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, for his involvement in high-profile cases.
FAQs
- Who is Todd Blanche?
- Todd Blanche is an American lawyer and the founding partner of Blanche Law, a white-collar defense and investigations firm. He is also a former federal prosecutor with extensive experience in investigating and prosecuting various types of white-collar crimes.
- How old is Todd Blanche?
- Todd Blanche is 48 years old as of April 2023. He was born on August 6, 1974, in New York City.
- Where was Todd Blanche born?
- Todd Blanche was born in New York City, to Richard and Pamela Blanche.
- Who is Todd Blanche’s wife?
- Todd Blanche’s wife is Jennifer Blanche, a former prosecutor and a partner at the law firm of Cohen & Gresser.
- How many children does Todd Blanche have?
- Todd Blanche has two children, a son and a daughter.
- What is Todd Blanche’s net worth and salary?
- Todd Blanche’s net worth and salary are not publicly disclosed, but he is estimated to be one of the highest-paid lawyers in the country, given his reputation and experience in the legal field. His net worth is likely to be in the millions, and his salary is likely to be over a million dollars per year.
- What are some of Todd Blanche’s achievements?
- Some of Todd Blanche’s achievements include:
- Representing former President Donald Trump, his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and his former associate Igor Fruman in various criminal cases.
- Working as a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for nine years, investigating and prosecuting various white-collar crimes.
- Founding his own law firm, Blanche Law, along with two other former Cadwalader partners, Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina.
- Being named a Rising Star, a Litigation Star, and a Legal 500 recommended lawyer in the field of white-collar defense and investigations.
- Some of Todd Blanche’s achievements include: