Amberg Authors Attorney-Client Privilege Article

Santa Monica Partner John W. Amberg authored an article for the January 2011 issue of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s County Bar Update that provides a detailed examination on preserving the attorney-client privilege for communications with in-house counsel. This is another fallout of the recession which forced business clients to economize by referring less work to outside lawyers and relying more on their in-house legal staff.

A recent case illustrates a serious pitfall that can result in the loss of the attorney-client privilege for communications between in-house counsel and their corporate clients, even though the law has long recognized that confidential communications between an attorney and a corporate client are entitled to the same privileged status as other clients. Amberg discusses various strategies for ensuring that attorney-client privilege remains intact.

Amberg is a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation, Class Action and Product Liability Client Service Groups, and is deputy of the firm’s Ethics & Conflicts Committee. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, product liability, probate and professional liability matters. He is a former chair and adviser to the California State Bar's Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct and a former chair and current member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility & Ethics Committee.

Click here to read the complete article.