In this complaint, plaintiff charges defendants with intentional interference with the attorney/client relationship. The plaintiff states that the actions of the defendants in interfering with the attorney/client relationship were willful, wanton, malicious and obtrusive and that punitive damages should be accessed against the defendants.
Attorney Client Privilege With Consultants In Fulton
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Multi-State
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Fulton
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US-000295
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Contents Person who asserts privilege must be an actual client or must have attempted to become a client of the attorney at the time information was disclosed. Person to whom the communication was made must be a certified attorney. Communication must occur solely between the client and attorney.
One federal judge opined that “the privilege applies only if (1) the asserted holder of the privilege is or sought to become a client; (2) the person to whom the communication was made (a) is a member of the bar of a court, or his subordinate and (b) in connection with this communication is acting as a lawyer; (3) ...
The attorney-client privilege is enshrined in California through Evidence Code sections 950-962. These sections establish the fundamental principles that govern confidential communication between attorneys and their clients. The attorney-client privilege is held by the client.
Rule 3: Label the top of the communication or the subject line of an email: "Privileged and Confidential: Attorney-Client Privileged Communication." This notice should be prominent and easily viewable as soon as someone receives the communication.
Crime or Fraud Exception. If a client seeks advice from an attorney to assist with the furtherance of a crime or fraud or the post-commission concealment of the crime or fraud, then the communication is not privileged.
The attorney-client privilege does not apply to every communication with an attorney. For the privilege to exist, the communication must be to, from, or with an attorney, and intended to be confidential. In addition, the communication must be for the purpose of requesting or receiving legal advice.
The attorney-client privilege applies to communications “to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for the transmission of the information or the accomplishment of the purpose for which the lawyer is consulted.” Cal. Evid. Code § 952. This includes communications to an expert consultant.
Under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 26(b)(4) , only experts retained for trial and trial preparation can be subjects of discovery. If the expert is retained only as a consultant but not in anticipation of trial testimony, then his work on the case is probably not discoverable.
Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a testifying expert's communications with counsel are protected only if the expert does not consider the communications in forming her opinions. By contrast, an attorney's communications with a consulting expert likely are protected by the work product doctrine.
Depending on the jurisdiction, a consulting expert's identity may not be discoverable. In other words, the work of a consulting expert need not be disclosed to the opposing party, whereas the testifying expert's opinions, notes, and work product are all discoverable.