Opinion ID: 400903
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Disqualification of Tigar as Cunningham's Counsel

Text: 11 In support of its motion to disqualify Tigar from representing Cunningham in the present action, the government stated that it would call Spain as a witness at trial. It expected Spain to testify that, at Cunningham's request, he had lied to the IRS agents, and that thereafter he had lied to the grand jury about his statements to the IRS. (See note 3 supra.) Since Tigar had represented Spain in the early stages of the prosecution of Spain for perjury, the government contended that that prior representation would prevent Tigar from vigorously cross-examining Spain in Cunningham's behalf. The government argued that Cunningham had the right to be represented by counsel free of any conflict of interest and that this was a right that Cunningham could not waive. It also argued that Tigar's continued representation of Cunningham would create an appearance of professional impropriety. 12 Spain himself did not move to disqualify Tigar from representing Cunningham. At the hearing on the government's motion, the United States Attorney reported that he had spoken with Spain's present attorney, who declined to join in the government's motion: 13 He is not objecting to Mr. Tigar's continued participation and he does not file any objection, but at the same time Mr. Spain is not waiving any attorney-client privilege. 14 Cunningham opposed the government's motion, arguing that he would be prejudiced by the removal of his repeatedly victorious counsel, that Spain's interests could be protected by Tigar's simply forbearing to use nonpublic information about Spain, and that Cunningham would waive his right to be represented by counsel who had no such duty of forbearance. As to his long relationship with Tigar, Cunningham pointed out that he had first been represented by Tigar in 1975 in connection with the Nadjari investigation of Cunningham's activities as Bronx Democratic Chairman. The Nadjari grand jury returned four indictments against Cunningham; through the efforts of Tigar all four were dismissed for lack of evidence. See, e.g., People v. Cunningham, 88 Misc.2d 1065, 390 N.Y.S.2d 547 (Sup.Ct. Bronx Co. 1976). In addition, Tigar represented Cunningham before the United States Supreme Court in a successful action to invalidate a New York statute that had been invoked in an attempt to compel Cunningham to testify before a grand jury in the Nadjari investigation. Lefkowitz v. Cunningham, 431 U.S. 801, 97 S.Ct. 2132, 53 L.Ed.2d 1 (1977). 15 As to the prior representation of Spain, Tigar stated that his meetings with Spain were limited in number, duration, and scope, and he represented that he had learned no facts from Spain that Spain had not thereafter revealed on the record during his trial. Tigar represented that he would not exploit any information as to which Spain has a valid and existing attorney-client privilege. 16 Cunningham stated expressly, both in writing and orally in response to extensive questioning by the court, that he was willing, in order to retain Tigar, to waive any rights he might have to be represented by an attorney who did not have this conflict of interest. Cunningham pointed out that he was a law school graduate and a member of the bar and stated that he had read and understood all of the papers submitted in connection with the government's motions, that he was fully aware of his rights and the possible consequences of waiving those rights, and that he voluntarily sought to waive those rights in order to continue to be represented by Tigar. He urged the court to recognize his right under the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution to be represented by counsel of his choice. 17 The district court concluded that Cunningham was capable and desirous of making a knowing waiver, and it construed Cunningham's statements as a conditional waiver. The court encouraged Cunningham to consult independent counsel experienced in federal criminal matters and indicated that Cunningham could withdraw his waiver before the trial began. Nonetheless, in an opinion filed on October 29, 1981, the court granted the government's motion to disqualify Tigar. Expressly declining to rely on the possibility that Cunningham might be prejudiced if he were represented by a lawyer having a conflict of interest, at 25, and rejecting the government's contention that Cunningham's right was, as a matter of law, not waivable, id. at 26, the court found that Tigar possessed confidential information from Spain which was protected by attorney-client privilege, id. at 21, and concluded that it would therefore be impossible for Tigar to represent Cunningham without violating his duty to Spain, id. at 22. The court ruled that Tigar's representation of Cunningham would thus create an appearance of professional impropriety, id. at 26, and, relying principally on Emle Industries, Inc. v. Patentex, Inc., 478 F.2d 562 (2d Cir. 1973), and United States v. Ostrer, 597 F.2d 337 (2d Cir. 1979), the court disqualified Tigar from all future representation of (Cunningham) in connection with the trial of this Indictment, 4 at 25. 18