05/28/2009
Court Construes Work Product Broadly Attorney-Client Privilege Narrowly
Commissioner v. Comcast, 453 Mass. 293, 901 N.E.2d 1185 (2009)
Brief Summary
In-house counsel’s communications with outside accounting firm were not protected by derivative attorney client privilege because accountant did not play a necessary role in facilitating legal advice. Nevertheless, these communications were protected by the work product doctrine because the accountants were retained to aid in a business decision that turned on the possibility and likely outcome of litigation.
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