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The Lawyer Client Privilege
By
David Day |
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One of the most cherished possessions a client holds is the privilege on
information he gives to his attorney. Even if the information is
embarrassing, clients should know that they are protected by the
attorney-client privilege to keep anything they say to their lawyers in the
strictest confidence. This confidential relationship serves as an
encouragement for clients to tell their lawyers all they know so their
attorneys will have all the information they need to best serve the clients'
interests. This privilege extends to the entire law office, which takes every
precaution to protect whether confidential information it receives
In my experience, one of the most difficult problems is having the client
keep quiet about what they have discussed with their lawyer. Often times,
clients are so excited (either for good or for bad) about what they have just
discussed with their attorney, that they rush out and tell their spouse,
their girl/boyfriend or golf partner. When this happens, the information
given to another may loses its "privileged" character, and the
listener, as well as the client, have no privilege as to what was disclosed
to this third party. That third party may then be used as a witness against
the client based on what was said.
Consequently, the best advise for someone who talks to a lawyer is to keep it
all between the attorney and the client. |
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