Debevoise & Plimpton must be reinstated as counsel for MetLife in an $8 billion class action arising from the giant insurer’s 2000 conversion from a mutual company to a publicly traded stock company, a unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled today.

Eastern District Judge Thomas C. Platt had disqualified the firm on Sept. 1, one week before trial was set to begin. Relying on a discovery ruling issued two years ago, he found Debevoise had a conflict of interest.