Strasbourger

Strasbourger Pearson Tulcin Wolff Inc., Michael J. Schumacher, and Allan M. Levine (collectively Strasbourger) appeal the order disqualifying Stroock & Stroock & Lavan and Michael F. Perils, a member of the firm (collectively Stroock), from representing Strasbourger in the action below, claiming the trial court abused its discretion because: (1) Stroock’s representation caused, at most, the mere appearance of impropriety; (2) Stroock represented Strasbourger, the underwriter in Wiz Technology, Inc.’s (Wiz) stock offering, and never represented Wiz; (3) even if Stroock technically represented Wiz, the trial court failed to determine whether a substantial relationship existed; (4) Wiz had no reasonable expectation any of the information it gave to Stroock would be kept confidential; (5) Stroock’s representation of Wiz’s former auditors did not give rise to a duty of confidentiality to Wiz; and (6) the trial court failed to consider that Wiz’s motion to disqualify Stroock was tardy and brought solely for tactical purposes. We reverse.

Strasbourger, an investment banking firm, served as an underwriter for Wiz’s public stock offering. It purchased 1,820,000 shares of Wiz…