Although Blank Rome has not been disqualified from representing in a divorce the ex-wife of the chairman of a company that has been the firm’s client, Brooklyn Justice Eric Prus has ordered the firm to establish a “Chinese wall” around its attorneys handling the action between Thomas Axon, chairman of Franklin Credit Management Corp., and his ex-wife, Noreen.
Mr. Axon had pushed for Blank Rome to be disqualified because of the firm’s work on two litigations in New Jersey for Franklin Credit, which is considered the most valuable asset of the marriage. Justice Prus said Mr. Axon failed to convince the court that those cases were substantially related to the divorce or involved issues where Ms. Axon’s interests and those of the company were materially adverse.
