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KEY POINTS President Donald Trump's legal team hopes Emmet Flood won't replace Don McGahn as head of the White House counsel's office, CNBC has learned from a person close to the president's legal team.

The president's lawyers would prefer Flood remain in his position as one of the lead attorneys fighting against special counsel Robert Mueller's probe.

Trump's lawyers see Flood, who advised President Bill Clinton during his impeachment, as a critical piece in their strategy to fight any attempt by Mueller at issuing a subpoena for the president to appear before a grand jury.

White House lawyer Emmet Flood (C) arrives to attend a briefing with members of the so-called 'Gang of Eight' at the U.S. Capitol May 24, 2018 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson | Getty Images

President Donald Trump's legal team hopes Emmet Flood will not replace Don McGahn as head of the White House counsel's office, CNBC has learned from a person close to the president's legal team. The president's lawyers believe Flood should remain in his position as one of the lead attorneys fighting against special counsel Robert Mueller's probe, according to this person, who asked not to be named disclosing a confidential conversation. The White House counsel spot will soon be open. Trump announced on Twitter this week that McGahn will be departing the administration in the fall. Since then, members of the president's legal team have privately acknowledged that they would prefer to see Flood stay put as a member of their unit, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Various reports have pegged Flood as a likely replacement for McGahn. Trump's lawyers see Flood as a critical piece in their strategy to fight any attempt by Mueller at issuing a subpoena for the president to appear before a grand jury, the person said. Read more: Trump accuses NBC News' Lester Holt of 'fudging' tape of interview about Comey firing Flood, who advised President Bill Clinton during impeachment proceedings, has done extensive preparation to combat a Mueller subpoena, including assembling his own staff and drafting legal arguments against such a move by the special counsel, the source added. Flood has also been meeting almost weekly with Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow, this person said.