Court ruling may limit job changes by NM lawyers
Updated: Monday, 25 Feb 2013, 7:30 AM MST
Published : Monday, 25 Feb 2013, 7:30 AM MST
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A court ruling may make it harder for New Mexico lawyers to change law firms.
The Albuquerque Journal (http://bit.ly/W7jnsh ) reports that a recent ruling says a law firm must withdraw from a case because it hired a lawyer who once worked for the other side.
That's more restrictive than New Mexico's previous legal rule that barred an individual lawyer from working on a case if the lawyer previously worked for the other side.
In a case involving BNSF Railway Co., the company's law firm promised that a lawyer it hired from a firm representing another litigant wouldn't work on the case or disclose confidential information.
However, the other litigant wouldn't waive a possible conflict of interest claim.
The Supreme Court overturned a judge who declined to disqualify BNSF's law firm.
