Del. Federal Judge Refuses to Bar Sidley Austin from Representing Boy Scouts in Bankruptcy

WILMINGTON, Del. — A Delaware federal judge has refused to bar Sidley Austin LLP from representing the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in its Chapter 11 case, rejecting arguments that the firm had a conflict of interest because it previously represented the organization’s insurer in two BSA-related reinsurance matters.

In a May 6 order, Judge Richard G. Andrews of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware concluded that disqualifying Sidley would unduly prejudice BSA because the firm has already put 18 months of work into its representation of the organization in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

The …