Chicago Title Insurance Company brought a motion to disqualify the law firm Gardiner Roberts LLP from representing Anthony Maniaci in an indemnity application.
Chicago Title argued that Gardiner Roberts had a conflict of interest because the firm also represented Thomas Donnelly, a lawyer who had previously provided coverage opinions to Chicago Title and was threatened with a negligence claim by them.
Chicago Title asserted that Gardiner Roberts possessed confidential and privileged information through its representation of Donnelly that could be misused.
The court granted the motion, holding that the integrity of the judicial system required the removal of Gardiner Roberts as counsel of record due to the significant risk of conflict and the potential for lawyers involved in the coverage advice to become witnesses.
