Rollinson and Chase

In *Rollinson and Chase*, heard by Judge Newbrun, the husband sought to restrain the wife's solicitors from continuing to act for her in family law proceedings. The core of the dispute concerned allegations of a conflict of interest arising from the solicitors' prior representation of the husband.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the wife's solicitors should be disqualified from acting for her due to a perceived conflict of interest. This required the court to consider the principles governing solicitor disqualification, particularly in the context of family law matters where sensitive personal and financial information may have been previously shared.

Judge Newbrun dismissed the husband's application. The reasoning focused on the absence of sufficient evidence to establish that the solicitors possessed confidential information from their prior dealings with the husband that was relevant to the current proceedings and that its use by the solicitors in acting for the wife would likely be detrimental to the husband. The court applied the established legal test for disqualification, which requires a demonstrable risk of prejudice to the former client.

Consequently, the husband's application to restrain the wife's solicitors from continuing to act for her was dismissed.