LaSalle National Bank v. Lake County
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
703 F.2d 252 (1983)
Seidler, a former assistant state's attorney for Lake County (defendant), joined the Rudnick and Wolfe firm, which months later sued the county on behalf of LaSalle National Bank (plaintiff) in a substantially related matter; although Seidler swore he shared no confidential information, the firm implemented no screening arrangements either when hiring him or when taking the case, only responding once the county moved to disqualify the firm six months later. The trial court disqualified the entire firm, and the bank appealed.
Whether an attorney's disqualifying previous association is imputed to and disqualifies that attorney's entire law firm, absent effective screening arrangements placed either when hiring the attorney or undertaking a matter that raises an ethical conflict.