CNN legal analyst Laura Coates explains how Giuliani could be charged with a crime for coordinating with Manafort's lawyers

CNN legal analyst Laura Coates on Wednesday explained how and why Donald Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani could become a witness -- or even a defendant -- in light of his newly-acknowledged cooperation with lawyers for former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort.

"This odd agreement between Manafort and the Trump lawyers is reckless," Shan Wu, the former attorney to Manafort's indicted associate Rick Gates, said during a CNN panel discussion. "You don't do that when someone is cooperating."

"The most intriguing aspect," Wu added, "is that could convert the lawyers into witnesses."

If Trump's lawyers are coaching Manafort on what he should and shouldn't tell special counsel Robert Mueller, the attorney said, that could amount to "obstruction" and compel the attorneys to testify.

"It would essentially pierce the [attorney-client] privilege aspect of it," Wu said.

Such a charge "could also convert [the lawyers] to defendants themselves," Coates noted.

The analyst noted that the prospect of Giuliani "dangling a carrot" with regards to a pardon for Manafort or in some other way "impeding" Mueller's investigation could spell trouble for the former NYC mayor, she added.

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