Summary
In Bongiasca v. Bongiasca, 254 A.D.2d 217 (1st Dept.1998), the First Department made this exact point when a litigant sought to disqualify an attorney who had represented the couple a decade earlier and obtained financial information relating to real estate purchases.
Summary of this case from E.M.B. v. A.M.B.Opinion
October 27, 1998
Appeal from the Supreme Court, New York County (Jacqueline Silbermann, J.).
There is no merit to defendant's argument that his financial ability to comply with the separation agreement being in issue, plaintiff's attorney should be disqualified because of information he acquired concerning defendant's financial holdings in the coarse of representing the parties, more than ten years earlier, while still married, in their purchases of real estate and cooperative shares. Clearly the two representations are not substantially related, and, in any event, since full financial disclosure is required in an action such as this, it is difficult to discern what financial information defendant can claim to be confidential or secret ( see, Messina v. Messina, 175 A.D.2d 866; cf., Matter of Nomura Sec. Intl. v. Hu, 240 A.D.2d 249, 250). Moreover, given the long-term participation of both parties' attorneys in the parties' affairs, and a context in which defendant has failed to comply with four court orders directing his deposition and production of documents, there is ample support for the motion court's finding that defendant made the disqualification motion as a delaying tactic to avoid his last scheduled deposition, and for its exercise of discretion in granting plaintiff the preclusion order.
Concur — Milonas, J. P., Ellerin, Wallach and Tom, JJ.