An attorney who worked for former President Trump during his challenges to the results of the 2020 presidential election has decided to retire ahead of his potential disbarment over Trump’s attempts to overturn President Biden’s victory.
Lin Wood announced his decision in a post on his Telegram account, saying the State Bar of Georgia agreed to not pursue the disciplinary proceedings against him in exchange for declaring himself retired.
“My retirement was not on my timing. It was not in the manner I would have preferred. But God is sovereign over everything,” Wood said.
He made a request to the state bar for this agreement in a letter he also posted Tuesday on Telegram. Wood notes in the letter that he understands the request would be permanent and being granted retired status would mean he cannot practice law in Georgia or any other state, nor can he reapply for readmission.
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Georgia officials had held a hearing earlier this year to consider whether to disbar Wood over his efforts. Trump praised Wood following the 2020 election for a “good job” filing legal challenges to try to overturn the election results.
The Georgia state bar confirmed to The Hill that the agreement had been accepted, ending two disciplinary proceedings against Wood. An updated filing from Wednesday states the bar’s Office of General Counsel believes it has achieved the goals of the disciplinary action, including the protection of the public and the “integrity of the judicial system and legal profession,” through Wood moving to retired status.
Trump’s legal challenges were rejected in every state they were filed, and the lawsuits did not reveal evidence of any widespread instances of voter fraud that could have changed the outcome in any state.
Multiple states have considered disciplining Wood for promoting Trump’s claims. A Michigan watchdog group filed a complaint against Wood and eight other attorneys for Trump in May on allegations that they committed misconduct in challenging Biden’s win in the state.
Wood’s name was on the Michigan lawsuit, but he has said he was only involved by telling attorney Sidney Powell that he was available as an experienced litigator if she needed him.
Wood has been licensed as an attorney in Georgia since 1977.
He said Wednesday in a Telegram post that he has wanted to retire from the law since 2020. He said he felt the need to “develop a full factual record” of the Georgia proceedings against him, which he said was accomplished with the transcript of the most recent hearing being filed.
“Sorry to disappoint my enemies who wanted so badly to see me discredited and disbarred!!!” Wood said.
CNBC reported Wood was a defamation attorney at one time and represented high-profile clients like Richard Jewell and the parents of JonBenét Ramsey.
Wood also reportedly was sued by his former partners in state court in Georgia for an alleged breach of a settlement deal. The case is ongoing.
Former Trump attorney John Eastman, who wrote memos for Trump to encourage former Vice President Mike Pence to try to reject Biden’s win in the Electoral College, is also facing possible disbarment in California.
The Associated Press contributed.