what is "privileged persons" for attorney client privilege

by Prudence Erdman 6 min read

Attorney-Client Privilege §A communication §Between a lawyer and clientor prospective client, or other "privileged persons," §That the client reasonably believes is confidential

At its most basic, the privilege ensures “that one who seeks advice or aid from a lawyer should be completely free of any fear that his secrets will be uncovered.” 2 Thus, the underlying principle of the privilege is to provide for “sound legal advice [and] advocacy.” 3 With the security of the privilege, the client ...

Full Answer

What is the purpose of attorney client privilege?

Definition. Attorney-client privilege refers to a legal privilege that works to keep confidential communications between an attorney and his or her client secret. The privilege is asserted in the face of a legal demand for the communications, such as a discovery request or a demand that the lawyer testify under oath.

What is the attorney-client privilege really means?

Presence of Third Parties. Despite the general rule, there's an exception in most states: In general, when a third person is present, the attorney-client privilege continues to apply if that third person is there in order to aid the cause. Put more specifically, the third person must be present while fulfilling a role that furthers the ...

Does attorney client privilege apply prospective clients?

Apr 05, 2018 · On the other hand, attorney – client privilege derives from an evidentiary standpoint, rooted in common law jurisprudence and local state statutes. This privilege exists “to encourage full and frank communications between attorneys and their clients and thereby promote broader public interests in the observance of law and administration of justice.

When does attorney client privilege start?

Oct 01, 2015 · This edition of Ten Things will discuss what is necessary to claim and preserve the attorney-client privilege. What is the Attorney-Client Privilege? The attorney-client privilege protects from disclosure to third parties: (a) confidential communications; (b) between an attorney and client; (c) made for the purpose of obtaining or providing legal advice. Unless all …

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What are the elements of the attorney client privilege?

Although the precise definition of attorney–client privilege varies among state and federal courts, there are four basic elements to establish attorney–client privilege: (i) a communication; (ii) made between counsel and client; (iii) in confidence; (iv) for the purpose of seeking, obtaining or providing legal ...

Which of the following may not be protected under the attorney client privilege?

Which of the following may not be protected under the attorney-client privilege? A client who orally confesses to a crime. Correct!

What is considered privileged communication?

privileged communication, in law, communication between persons who have a special duty of fidelity and secrecy toward each other. Communications between attorney and client are privileged and do not have to be disclosed to the court.

What is the meaning of client privilege?

Attorney–client privilege is "[a] client's right to refuse to disclose and to prevent any other person from disclosing confidential communications between the client and the attorney." The attorney–client privilege is one of the oldest privileges for confidential communications.

What information is not privileged?

Non-Privileged Records . Means documents and records, whether hard copy or electronic, which are not subject to any legal privilege preventing its discovery and/or disclosure in a legal proceeding.

Is email to lawyer privileged?

Emailed correspondence between attorney and client is privileged. However, the client can take some actions which will waive this attorney client privilege.Apr 28, 2021

What is not considered privileged communication?

A communication is not confidential, and therefore not privileged, if it is overheard by a third party who is not an agent of the listener. Agents include secretaries and other employees of the listener.

What are the two types of privileged communication?

Relationships between priests and their congregants are considered privileged communication. There are two types of husband-wife privileges — spousal immunity and marital communication.Mar 29, 2022

What is privileged law?

Privilege is a legal right which allows persons to resist compulsory disclosure of documents and information. The fact that a document is sensitive or confidential is not a bar to disclosure, although privileged documents must be confidential.

Where is attorney-client privilege found in US law?

Attorney-client privilege refers to a legal privilege that works to keep confidential communications between an attorney and his or her client secret. The privilege is asserted in the face of a legal demand for the communications, such as a discovery request or a demand that the lawyer testify under oath.

Why is the attorney-client privilege important?

The attorney-client privilege is the backbone of the legal profession. It encourages the client to be open and honest with his or her attorney without fear that others will be able to pry into those conversations. Further, being fully informed by the client enables the attorney to provide the best legal advice.Oct 31, 2013

What communications are covered by the attorney-client privilege?

1. Relationship of attorney and client; 2. Communication made by the client to the attorney, or advice given by the latter to the former; 3. Communication or advice must have been made confidentially; 4.

What is Attorney-Client Privilege?

Attorney-client privilege is one of the oldest concepts in legal history. The basic idea is that when you seek legal advice or help from a lawyer, you don’t have to worry about the lawyer disclosing the confidential information you share with them.

Understanding the Attorney-Client Relationship

For attorney-client privilege to apply, there has to be a well-established attorney-client relationship.

Is All Communication Privileged?

You might be surprised to learn what is and isn’t considered privileged communication.

Waiving Attorney-Client Privilege

It’s important to understand that clients, rather than lawyers have the privilege in an attorney-client relationship. This means that ultimately, the client has the right to assert this privilege – or waive it.

Do You Need an Attorney?

Anytime you deal with a legal matter, you should hire an attorney. The law is incredibly complex and it’s true that law enforcement and insurance companies will use anything you say against you if it benefits them.

Definition

Attorney-client privilege refers to a legal privilege that works to keep confidential communications between an attorney and his or her client secret.

Further Reading

For more on the attorney-client privilege, see this Cornell Law Review article, this Fordham Law Review article, and this Pepperdine Law Review article .

Why did the second degree murderer waive the attorney-client privilege?

On the other hand, a Missouri court found that a defendant charged with second degree murder had waived the attorney-client privilege because of a family member's presence at a client-lawyer meeting. During a prior divorce case, the defendant brought her daughter to a meeting with her family law attorney.

What happens if you allow a third party to be present for a lawyer-client conversation?

The general rule is that, by allowing a third party to be present for a lawyer-client conversation, the defendant waives the privilege. That generally means that the prosecution can force the third party to reveal the contents of the conversation.

What does the court say about the presence of the parents?

The court said that the presence of the parents, who had "an understandable parental interest and advisory role in their minor's legal affairs," didn't defeat the attorney-client privilege. That meant that a defendant couldn't question the witness about his conversations with his lawyer. ( State v.

What is a third person in a case?

Put more specifically, the third person must be present while fulfilling a role that furthers the defendant's legal representation. The person might be part of the lawyer's staff, an outside party with relevant expertise (for instance, an investigator), an interpreter, or even a relative who acts in an advisory role.

Why did the daughter choose the law firm for her mother?

The daughter chose the law firm for her mother, transported her to the meetings, and put her at ease so she could communicate with her lawyers. The daughter also had relevant information and could aid her mother's memory.

What does "highly useful" mean in court?

Courts use words like "essential," "necessary," and "highly useful" to describe roles that jibe with the attorney-client privilege. Whether the role fits the bill is a determination that depends on the circumstances.

Why was the testimony of the family law attorney admissible?

Because the daughter wasn't essential in conveying information to the lawyer and wasn't reasonably necessary to protect her mother's interests, her presence at the meeting destroyed the privilege. So, the family law attorney's testimony about the meeting—given at the murder trial—was admissible. ( State v.

What happens if you get it wrong?

If you get it wrong, the privilege may be lost. For example, sharing privileged communications with third party contractors/consultants , public relations firms, insurance brokers, and other third parties may destroy the privilege. Whether or not this so depends on the facts and the laws of any particular state.

What is the most important thing to do to protect the privilege of attorney?

There are several things you (and your business colleagues) can do to ensure the best possible outcome with respect to protecting the privilege: The most important thing you can do is to be sure to properly label communications that meet the test for attorney-client communications.

What is self critical analysis?

In some jurisdictions, the self-critical analysis privilege is a qualified privilege that encourages companies to honestly evaluate themselves in light of some problem or incident yet protects the company from that report or analysis from being used against it in litigation.

What is attorney-client privilege?

The attorney-client privilege applies in limited circumstances, in particular: Requests for legal advice from a client to an attorney. Requests for information from an attorney for information needed to formulate or provide legal advice. The legal advice is actually given by the attorney.

Is copying a lawyer on a meeting privileged?

Second, the business needs to understand that simply copying a lawyer on the communication (or inviting a lawyer to a meeting) does not make it privileged either. The communication still needs to meet the test of asking for or providing legal advice.

Is it privileged to label something?

First, labeling something privileged does not make it privileged. It depends on whether the communication is for the purposes of obtaining or receiving legal advice.

Can you discuss privileged information with your spouse?

Likewise, as much as you love your spouse or significant other, you cannot discuss privileged information with him or her. And, as noted above, the more people in the loop on privileged communications the greater the chance that someone trips up on the confidentiality prong.

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Purpose of Attorney-Client Privilege

  • The purpose of the attorney-client privilege is to promote open and frank communications between clients and their lawyers. To represent a client effectively, lawyers must have access to all relevant information concerning the representation. If a client knows that certain information …
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What’s Covered Under Attorney Client Privilege?

  • The attorney-client privilege in the United States is often defined by reference to the 5 Cs: (1) a Communication (2) made in Confidence (3) between a Client (4) and Counsel (5) for the purpose of seeking or providing legal Counsel or advice. 1. All types of communications or exchanges between a client and attorney may be covered by the attorney-client privilege. This may include …
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Attorney Client Privilege Exceptions

  • Some of the most common exceptions to the privilege include: 1. Death of a client. The privilege may be breached upon the death of a testator-client if litigation ensues between the decedent’s heirs, legatees or other parties claiming under the deceased client. 2. Fiduciary Duty . A corporation’s right to assert the attorney-client privilege is not absolute. An exception to the privi…
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Examples of Attorney-Client Privilege

  • Following are some examples of attorney-client privilege. 1. A client is seeking advice from a lawyer for a business transactionand discloses confidential information about their business operations. 2. A client disclosing information to his or her attorney about a past crime that he or she committed, and the communication was done in private. 3. A client disclosing to the attorne…
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What Happens When Attorney-Client Privilege Is Broken?

  • Specific sanctions may be imposed on an attorney who reveals confidential communications, but where there is the mere potential for disclosure, disqualification motions are common. These motions typically claim that a lawyer or firm should be disqualified due to the fact that the lawyer or a member of his firm had previously represented the party desiring disqualification. While dis…
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What Is Attorney-Client Privilege?

  • Attorney-client privilege is one of the oldest concepts in legal history. The basic idea is that when you seek legal advice or help from a lawyer, you don’t have to worry about the lawyer disclosing the confidential information you share with them. This means that you can speak freely and openly and provide all relevant information. When your lawyer has all of the necessary informati…
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Understanding The Attorney-Client Relationship

  • For attorney-client privilege to apply, there has to be a well-established attorney-client relationship. Communications that take place prior to this relationship being established are not privileged. You don’t want to make the mistake of assuming your communications with an attorney are privileged without being sure. Generally, the lawyer-client relationship is established when both parties hav…
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Is All Communication Privileged?

  • You might be surprised to learn what is and isn’t considered privileged communication. Generally, any communication from you to your attorney and any response from them is included. However, even more discrete forms of communication such as nodding in agreement or remaining completely silent can be privileged communication. But what’s important to realize is that disclo…
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When The Lawyer-Client Relationship Doesn’T Apply

  • It’s important to understand that not every element of the attorney-client relationshipis protected by attorney-client privilege. For example, certain information including the existence of the lawyer-client relationship itself and the length of that relationship is not privileged. When you hire a lawyer, the general services the lawyer performs for you and the terms and conditions of your le…
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Waiving Attorney-Client Privilege

  • It’s important to understand that clients, rather than lawyers have the privilege in an attorney-client relationship. This means that ultimately, the client has the right to assert this privilege – or waive it. When it comes to corporations, privilege is held by the control group. This group includes the company’s directors and officers. They ultimately have the ability to assert or waive attorney-clie…
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Do You Need An Attorney?

  • Anytime you deal with a legal matter, you should hire an attorney. The law is incredibly complex and it’s true that law enforcement and insurance companies will use anything you say against you if it benefits them. When you hire a lawyer, you benefit from attorney-client privilege. We can help you build your case and navigate the complicated legal system. Click hereto contact us today to …
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Why Does Attorney-Client Privilege Exist?

  • Attorney-client privilege exists to allow lawyers and clients to communicate freely, without fear that their conversations may one day be discoverable in a lawsuit. In general, the rule states that a client can communicate freely to the attorney, knowing that any confidential information passed onto the attorney will be protected during the client representation. The rule can be found in Tex…
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Who Does Privilege Apply to?

  • Now that we’ve gone through a basic understanding of the attorney-client privilege rule, consider this scenario: the attorney represents an 80-year old woman who doesn’t fully understand the legal process. Because she wants to feel safe in her decisions, she and her son sign a form with the firm, stating that the son can be part of conversations and can assist her by receiving update…
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What Are The Exceptions?

  • As with every legal rule, there are always exceptions. First, a client may always consent to the information being divulged. The attorney-client privilege also doesn’t apply when a lawyer was expressly authorized to reveal the conversations in order to carry out the representation. When it comes to the criminal rules, the attorney must disclose what they learned if the client communic…
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How Long Does It Last?

  • The attorney-client privilege belongs to the client and not the attorney, which means the client can revoke it, but the attorney can’t (without a rule stating the attorney must or may disclose the information). The attorney-client privilege does not end when the representation ends. In fact, it carries on even after the client passes away. The attorney representing the client may not ever r…
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