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A rock star needs a rock-star lawyer.
Bruce Springsteen is being represented in his DWI case by attorney Mitchell Ansell, a New Jersey legal eagle who’s no stranger to high-profile cases, according to online court records.
Ansell previously served as co-counsel for Paul Caneiro, charged in 2018 with murdering his brother, sister-in-law and their two young children, then torching their mansion in Colts Neck — the same tony township Springsteen calls home.
Ansell left that case in 2019 over “conflicts of interest,” with a source saying at the time that he previously represented a third Caneiro brother in a civil matter.
Last year, Ansell took on the case of a decidedly less-established musician, defending a fellow lawyer and local cover artist busted for hosting an outdoor Pink Floyd tribute concert in violation of coronavirus precautions.
Ansell argued that the David Gilmour wannabe, John Maldjian, only planned to broadcast the gig virtually for a homebound audience, and never invited the in-person revelers who defied social-distancing rules to rock out.
Madjian ultimately pleaded guilty to violating a noise ordinance, agreeing to pay a $1,000 fine and conduct 40 hours of community service, according to The Asbury Park Press.
Now, Ansell will represent a bonafide music icon.
Springsteen, 71, was hit with charges including DWI after a park ranger allegedly observed him downing a shot of tequila inside New Jersey’s Gateway National Recreation Area, then starting up his motorcycle on Nov. 14, 2020, according to legal filings.
After Springsteen refused a breathalyzer and flunked a field sobriety test, he was hauled into a police station and given a mandatory exam, according to documents and sources.
In that test, he registered a .02 blood-alcohol content — well below New Jersey’s legal limit for operating a motor vehicle of .08.
Springsteen is due to appear in federal court — as the alleged offense occurred on federal land — via videoconference later this month.
Ansell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy and Lia Eustachewich
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