“Mr. Sorkin can continue to represent Mr. Madoff in this matter,” Judge Chin said.

In a filing of charges immediately after the hearing, prosecutors said that Mr. Madoff faced a statutory maximum sentence of 150 years, but also must make restitution and face fines of “twice the gross gain.”

In addition, Mr. Madoff will be required to forfeit the proceeds from the scheme, the filing said.

Judge Chin, at Tuesday’s hearing, noted however, that the sentencing guidelines used by prosecutors were based on “currently available information” and may not be binding.

In a letter filed with the court on Tuesday morning, government prosecutors had argued that none of the conflicts were so serious that Mr. Madoff could not legally waive them and retain Mr. Sorkin, whom he hired shortly before he was arrested on Dec. 11. Mr. Madoff is accused of operating a vast Ponzi scheme.

The first issue identified by the government arises from Mr. Sorkin’s role in defending two accountants, Frank Avellino and Michael Bienes, in a civil case filed by federal regulators in 1992. In that case, which the two men settled without admitting or denying any wrongdoing, they were accused of selling unregistered securities from 1962 to 1992 and investing the proceeds with Mr. Madoff. No accusations were made against Mr. Madoff in that case.

Because Mr. Sorkin ended his representation of the two accountants more than a decade ago, and neither of them have sought to disqualify him from this case, prosecutors argued that Mr. Madoff could waive that potential conflict of interest.

The other two conflicts arise from investments Mr. Sorkin and members of his family had with Mr. Madoff over the years.

The first concerns accounts that Mr. Sorkin’s parents, who are deceased, had with Mr. Madoff. When Mr. Sorkin’s mother died in 2007, the last of those accounts was closed and the money was transferred to Mr. Sorkin’s sons, who could become the focus of lawsuits aimed at recovering that money for investors.