Attorney-Client privilege forefront at joint conference

Along with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Association of Corporate Counsel and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the ABA sponsored a Nov. 16 conference on “Erosion of the Attorney-Client Privilege: What Does the Future Hold?”

The half-day program looked at the history of attorney-client privilege as well as recent government policies and guidelines that, while intending to aid in the prosecution of corporate criminals, the sponsors believe will have the effect of stemming communication between lawyers and their corporate clients and will inhibit corporate communication.

Featured speakers at the program were Rep. James Sensenbrenner, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate counterpart.

The organizations held a media briefing about the conference on Oct. 14. While unable to attend the briefing, the ABA released a statement from President Michael Greco supporting the conference: “The convergence of participants at the conference reinforces the American Bar Association’s view that the attorney-client privilege is the public’s first line of defense against corporate wrongdoing.”

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