Warner Bros. has asked the judge in its litigation with the Tolkien estate to disqualify the estate’s law firm, according to Hollywood Reporter.  Warners is arguing the firm has improperly hired two attorneys that were in-house lawyers for United Artists in 1969 when the estate granted rights to UA (which were later passed on to The Saul Zaentz Co. and Warner Bros.).  The company says the attorneys have a duty of loyalty and confidentiality to UA and cannot testify for the estate, the other side in the deal when the attorneys worked for UA. 

The parties have also been fighting over admission of documents and other issues, including counterclaims (see “Court Rules Against Tolkien Estate”).

The suit was originally filed by the Tolkien estate against the Saul Zaentz Co. and Warners because the estate said that the licensees were improperly licensing online games and slot machines because those were not in the original license.