A smiling Lev Parnas, a onetime associate of Rudy Giuliani who is accused along with a co-defendant of making illegal campaign contributions, left a Manhattan courthouse after a newly sworn-in jury was told to return Wednesday morning for opening statements.

Twelve jurors and three alternates were picked Tuesday to sit on the trial, leaving attorney Joseph Bondy expressing optimism that the right people were chosen to hear the case against his client, Parnas.