Pa. Court Declines to Disqualify Counsel Representing Energy Firm and Non-Party

SCRANTON, Pa. - A federal judge has denied plaintiff landowners' motion to disqualify opposing counsel for simultaneously representing the energy firm defendant and a non-party landowner who is seeking to block plaintiffs' subpoena to testify. Fiorentino, et al. v. Cabot Oil & Gas Corp., et al., No. 3:09-cv-02284 (M.D. Pa.).

U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III said Jan. 31 that disqualification at this stage of the litigation would be too drastic a sanction, and noted that the non-party recently retained other counsel.

Judge Jones is overseeing the environmental contamination lawsuit brought in the U.S. District Court for the Middle …