Lisa Hochstein is not just fighting her ex in their divorce case, as court documents show, the attorney representing her estranged husband, Lenny Hochstein, is hitting back at the Real Housewives of Miami star’s demand that he be disqualified from the case, charging she failed to “meet any legal standard let alone the high standard and burden” to back up her allegations, Radar reports.
According to the report by Radar, the lawyer to Lenny Hochstein, Lorne E. Berkeley filed a motion to strike Lisa’s petition to disqualify Lenny’s counsel, arguing that she produced “zero evidence” to prove she would be at a disadvantage in their divorce battle because of his alleged prior representation of her.
“The basis for the disqualification is founded upon unsubstantiated, unsupported, and meritless allegations within the motion that due to alleged prior representation of LMH [Lisa Marie Hochstein] by the undersigned, the undersigned should be disqualified from representing LH [Lenny Hochstein]. Yet the motion provides no details of the alleged prior representation and consists of conclusory and bald allegations of ‘prior representation’ clearly failing to meet any legal standard let alone the high standard and burden required under law to disqualify an attorney,” the documents read.
Lenny’s attorney charged that he “never represented” Lisa “as ‘agent’ in any such capacity alleged in the motion or otherwise. Moreover, the above allegations that allegedly substantiate LMH’s Motion to Disqualify consist of non-specific claims of representation.”
He said that Lisa provided “no particular details or documentation” to support her allegations that she’d be disadvantaged if he stayed representing Lenny. He also cited that she has “no proof” he had any confidential information about Lisa that would help her ex in their nasty divorce case.
Berkeley said he represented Lisa and Lenny in a 2015 lawsuit against an interior designer, which he said was resolved in March 2022 through a “successful trial verdict.”
“Clearly, this representation is a subject matter which does not relate at all, let alone, substantially relate to the interest which are materially adverse the Respondent in the instant matter. As such, this representation serves as no basis whatsoever to warrant a disqualification,” he said in his response.
Berkeley also admitted to representing Lisa in a 2012 defamatory Facebook post, but “nothing related to the current matter, let alone substantially related as required under the Rule.”
He claimed her “sad attempts to create something when there is nothing” are “factually untrue,” adding that Lisa “knows this as she previously filed the same motion to disqualify in another matter that was denied.”
Lenny’s lawyer is asking the judge to deny Lisa’s request.
Lisa asked a Miami court judge to disqualify Berkeley from the firm Daniels, Rodriguez, Berkeley, Daniels & Cruz, P.A., in February. She argued there is a “distinct conflict of interest with Mr. Berkeley representing the Husband in the instant matter, given Mr. Berkeley’s history of having represented the Wife in past legal proceedings.”
The reality star’s lawyer explained, “During the parties’ intact marriage of nearly thirteen (13) years, Mr. Berkeley represented the Husband and Wife – separately and together – in dozens of matters.”