when responding to discovery with attorney client privilege should you provide privilege log

by Noelia Murazik 4 min read

Guarding privileged information is critical throughout the discovery process. In order to assert privilege and withhold potentially relevant documents, the attorney or litigation support professional must prepare a privilege log entry associated with each document subject to the privilege. What Is a Privilege Log?

Full Answer

When is a privilege log required for Discovery?

Sep 14, 2018 · Federal law generally requires a party to create a privilege log if the party is withholding responsive information from a discovery production on the basis of privilege. Most civil litigation—and to a large extent much criminal litigation—generally follows the construct for discovery codified in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP).

How do you describe a document under attorney client privilege?

compilation and production of a log. Although serving a log with initial discovery responses may not be a requirement, practitioners should be wary of delaying too long in produc-ing a log. Oregon judges have noted at local CLE events that they are unlikely to uphold a claim of privilege absent a dis-closed privilege log. Andy McStAy

What is a privilege log in a civil case?

Jan 23, 2019 · The expression “privilege log” is jargon, commonly used by courts and attorneys to express the requirements of the statute providing that the party who objects to a discovery demand for the inspection of a document based on privilege must support such objection with a specific identification of the document and a specific ground for objection.

What is the best practice for logging privileged documents?

Jun 29, 2018 · A deficient privilege log can result in severe consequences, including time-consuming discovery disputes or waiver of privilege. Accordingly, young lawyers should understand both the requirements of a proper privilege log and how to assist the more senior members on the litigation team with preparing such logs. Requirements. The requirements for …

Is a privilege log discovery?

A privilege log is a document that describes documents or other items withheld from production in a civil lawsuit under a claim that the documents are "privileged" from disclosure due to the attorney–client privilege, work product doctrine, joint defense doctrine, or some other privilege.

Can a privilege log be used as evidence?

The privilege log itself is not evidence; rather, the document named in the privilege log is the evidence. Because the court concludes that any probative value is substantially outweighed by the probability of jury confusion, the privilege log is inadmissible.Mar 14, 2013

How do you make a privilege log?

When creating a privilege log, young lawyers should consider the following tips to prepare a proper log: Identify the fields to include in the privilege log. Common fields include parent/attachment, document type, date, to/from/cc/bcc (if known) fields, privilege description, and document description.Jun 29, 2018

Is a privilege log required in California?

The California Code of Civil Procedure does not specify what information must appear in a privilege log. It instead requires only that other parties be given sufficient factual information to evaluate the merits of the privilege claim (Cal.Jul 14, 2020

What is claim of privilege?

Claims of privilege are to be made on a question-by-question or document-by-document basis. Blanket claims are disfavored. The privilege is usually asserted in advance of trial during discovery, because it must be objected to at the earliest opportunity or the claim is waived.

What is a categorical privilege log?

Categorical privilege log: A log that contains information in specific categories, rather than individual documents. Custom privilege log: A log in which all parties agree to specific information that will be included for each document withheld, but not all of the standard information.Dec 13, 2021

What is privileged from discovery?

Discovery does not extend to accessing information that is privileged. Privileged information is information that is protected by a confidential relationship recognized by law, such as attorney-client, doctor-patient, etc.

What makes a document privileged?

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.

What documents are legally privileged?

The idea of documents being privileged is common sense when you understand it but takes a little bit of explaining. An email or letter from you to a qualified lawyer (barrister or solicitor) asking for advice, and the written legal advice you receive, are examples of documents which are privileged.

What is attorney work product California?

The attorney work product doctrine provides absolute protection to written work product that reveals an attorney's impressions, conclusions, opinions or legal research. 3. Attorney work product is defined in the governing statute as material created or derived from a lawyer's work.

What is privilege log?

Privilege logs are also commonly accompanied with a “players list” that not only shows the identity of attorneys, but also the positions of the non-lawyers on the communications.

Why is a thorough review important?

A thorough review will reduce the number of documents withheld in error and will make the document descriptions more accurate. The lack of attorneys on a communication does not mean that it is not privileged. Likewise, the mere presence of attorneys does not, in and of itself, make the document privileged. It is helpful to keep the document ...

What is a INADVERTENT DISCLOSURE?

‘‘(b) INADVERTENT DISCLOSURE.—When made in a Federal proceeding or to a Federal office or agency, the disclosure does not operate as a waiver in a Federal or State proceeding if:

What does "d" mean in court?

‘‘(d) CONTROLLING EFFECT OF A COURT ORDER. —A Federal court may order that the privilege or protection is not waived by disclosure connected with the litigation pending before the court—in which event the disclosure is also not a waiver in any other Federal or State proceeding.”

What is self critical analysis?

The self-critical analysis privilege protects certain self-evaluations undertaken by organizations to determine their compliance with regulatory requirements without creating evidence that could possibly be harmful in future litigation.

What is subdivision A?

Subdivision (a) provides that a voluntary disclosure in a federal proceeding or to a federal office or agency, if it constitutes a waiver, generally results in a waiver only of the communication or information disclosed.

Is inadvertent production a waiver of work product immunity?

“Inadvertent production of documents or information subject to the attorney-client privilege, work product immunity, or both shall not constitute a waiver of, nor prejudice to, any claim that such or related material is privileged or protected by the work product immunity, provided that the producing party notifies the receiving party in writing promptly after discovery of such inadvertent production.”

What was the conflict between FRE 502 and FRE 502?

Before FRE 502, courts were in conflict over whether disclosure of privileged or protected information to a government agency conducting an investigation of a client constituted a general waiver of the information disclosed.

What happens if you inadvertently produce to the other party?

“If a party has inadvertently produced to the other party information subject to [a] claim of privilege or immunity, the other party upon request shall promptly return the information for which a claim of inadvertent production is made. The party returning such information may then move the Court for an order compelling production of such information, but said party shall not assert that inadvertent disclosure constitutes a waiver”