Blaz denies conflict on legal work

MAYOR DE BLASIO said there’s no conflict in his use of a law firm that also lobbies his administration on behalf of private clients.

“My experience with this firm is as someone receiving legal services from them — for which they will be fully compensated,” de Blasio said of the firm Kramer Levin Naftalis and Frankel, which is representing him in a series of investigations into his fund-raising tactics.

“I don’t know any of the other work they do. I don’t experience any of the other work they do,” he said on NY1’s “Road to City Hall.” “I just don’t see any such challenge or conflict.”

In addition to its legal practice, Kramer Levin has a lobbying unit — whose earnings surged to $3 million for lobbying the city last year, the same year the firm was hired by the mayor.

De Blasio has not yet paid his legal bills and plans to raise donations to do so. He has refused to rule out taking legal defense money from donors with business before the city.

The mayor said he’s sure his officials would not give special treatment to lobbyists for the firm that represents their boss.

“I’m confident that if someone from any firm walked through the door, including that firm, they wouldn’t get special attention,” he said.

Earlier Monday, a Republican opponent of de Blasio’s said it “can’t be a coincidence” that the law firm Hizzoner hired to represent him in corruption probes has seen its lobbying business surge.

The year before, Kramer Levin made less than $2 million on lobbying.

“As we have been saying for weeks, the arrangement between Kramer Levin and the mayor is a deal no ordinary person can get, as he has accrued potentially millions of dollars in legal fees with no plan to pay,” said Paul Massey, who is challenging de Blasio in this year’s mayoral election.