• by Philip Rosenstein , January 11, 2017

The law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, hired to help untangle Trump’s business conflicts, was named “Russia Law Firm of the Year” by Chambers & Partners, in April 2016.

Interestingly, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius was also involved in representing Hillary Clinton during her 2016 run for the presidency, though using different lawyers.

Sheri Dillon, the attorney who spoke at Trump’s press conference on Wednesday, joined the firm in 2015. She has signed her name to at least one Trump campaign release, notably the letter announcing he was facing an audit.

Whereas Dillon said on Wednesday “President-elect Trump wants there to be no doubts in the mind of the American people that he is separating himself from his business interests,” ethics officials remain skeptical, even after the news conference.

“I need to talk about ethics today because the plan the president has announced doesn't meet the standards that the best of his nominees are meeting and that every president in the past four decades has met,” explained Walter Shaub, chief of the Office of Government Ethics, at a press conference held by the Brookings Institution.

Trump’s lawyers think he’s in the clear; for many of his ardent supporters, that will suffice. For Congress, and for those who have loudly spoken out against his global business conflicts, the moral and political concerns remain.

Dillon, who now appears close to the Trump camp, gave $1,500 to Hillary Clinton during the 2008 presidential cycle, according to OpenSecrets.