A New Jersey appeals court has rejected a motion to disqualify Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer from representing the defendant in a high-stakes legal malpractice suit, where an arbitrator in the case joined the Wilentz firm.

Appellate Division Judges Carmen Messano, Allison Accurso and Catherine Enright affirmed a ruling by Essex County Superior Court Judge Keith Lynott, who found no cause to disqualify Wilentz from representing Mazie, Slater, Katz & Freeman.

The appeals court found that former Superior Court Judge John Keefe's decision to join Wilentz after mediating in the malpractice case does not warrant disqualification of another Wilentz lawyer, Brian Molloy.