A federal judge in Missouri this week declined to boot an NLJ 500 firm from defending an orthodontic appliance manufacturer in a trademark dispute, finding that the defense counsel's former client, who is now the plaintiff, likely knew of the firm's involvement well before the lawsuit was filed.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk of the Eastern District of Missouri denied a motion to disqualify Lewis Rice from serving as defense counsel in Ordont Orthodontic Laboratories v. Ortho Solutions.