The Pennsylvania Superior Court has sent a cautionary message to all lawyers who make lateral moves—and their new firms.

In a 2-1 split, the court ruled Tuesday that an entire firm must be disqualified from handling a personal injury lawsuit because one of its lawyers formerly represented the defendant while working for another firm years earlier. Judge Mary Murray wrote the Dec. 14 majority opinion, joined by President Judge Jack Panella. They reversed Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas Judge James Gibbons, who had ordered the disqualification of the lawyer but not the firm.