Ethics

Local Ad Link v. Adzzoo: The plaintiffs tried unsuccessfully to disqualify Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP because one of the plaintiffs had ties to the defendant's law firm.  This passage sets up the issues, which resulted in denial of the motion:

Plaintiffs argue that disqualification is proper because LLBL "has represented and continues to represent four entities that [plaintiff] Mr. McNulty is involved with along with [plaintiff] Beyond Commerce, Inc. ("BCI")'s CFO, Mark Noffke." Mot. (#73) at 3. The four entities are (1) US Forest Industries, Inc., for which plaintiffs allege McNulty is CEO and Noffke is CFO, Secretary, and Treasurer; (2) USFI Holdings, Inc., for which plaintiff's allege McNulty is on the Board of Directors and Noffke is Secretary and Treasurer; (3) Forest Strategic Investments, for which plaintiffs allege McNulty is a 40% owner and Noffke is Secretary and Treasurer; and (4) US Forest Industries Investment, Inc, for which plaintiffs' allege McNulty is Director and Noffke is Secretary and Treasurer. Id. at 3-4. Plaintiffs state that LLBL has represented the four entities since at least 1996 and currently represents all four. Id. at 4. It is further alleged that McNulty and Noffke "have personal relationships with many of the attorneys at LLBL's Chicago office," and "one of LLBL's former attorneys is a business partner involved in these entities along with Mr. McNulty and Mr. Noffke." Id. Accordingly, plaintiffs assert that LLBL must be disqualified as counsel pursuant to Rule 1.7.