In response to accusations of a conflict of interest in the defamation battle between E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump, lawyer Roberta Kaplan has vehemently denied any connection between herself and Manhattan federal Judge Lewis Kaplan. The lead attorney, who recently secured an $83 million verdict for Carroll, labeled the claims as "utterly baseless."

The allegations arose when Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, questioned whether the judge had a bias due to his past association with Kaplan at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkin, Wharton & Garrison. In a letter to Judge Kaplan, Roberta Kaplan dismissed the idea, stating that she had no recollection of ever working with him on a case, attending a court proceeding together, or participating in a client-related meeting during their time at the firm in the 1990s.

While acknowledging a brief overlap in their tenure at the firm, Kaplan emphasized that there was no "direct interaction" between them. She refuted any mentor-mentee relationship, underscoring that there was nothing for the judge to disclose in relation to the defamation case.

Expressing concern over the timing of the accusations, Kaplan suggested the possibility of asking the judge to impose sanctions against Habba for promoting "baseless" allegations. However, in a response letter, Habba indicated a willingness to move on from the issue after Kaplan denied any mentorship relationship.

The contentious defamation case concluded with a record-breaking $83 million verdict in favor of Carroll, who accused Trump of ruining her journalistic reputation by denying their encounter in a 1996 incident. Trump's attorneys argued that his statements were protected by free speech rights and were meant to defend his name.

In his response to the verdict, the former president criticized the outcome as "Absolutely ridiculous!" on his social media platform, Truth Social. Carroll, a journalist based in New York City, jokingly mentioned on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" that she would use the awarded sum for a new wardrobe.

It is worth noting that a separate jury previously found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll and awarded her $5 million in damages. Trump is currently appealing that case.

Representatives for Kaplan declined to comment further, while there has been no immediate response from Habba.

The ongoing legal battle between Carroll and Trump continues to captivate public attention, fueling discussions on issues surrounding defamation, judicial bias, and the rights of alleged victims.