Are you nervous, LawyerRon?

[clydefo]

Marc Rich lawyers ordered to turn over documents
NEW YORK (AP) -- A federal judge said lawyers for Marc Rich acted "principally as lobbyists" in helping the fugitive financier win a pardon from President Clinton and must hand over documents withheld from a grand jury investigating the controversial pardon.
U.S. District Judge Denny Chin said attorney-client privilege does not protect the materials from release.
"The Marc Rich lawyers were acting principally as lobbyists, working with public relations specialists and individuals -- foreign government officials, prominent citizens and personal friends of the president -- who had access to the White House," Chin wrote. "They were not acting as lawyers or providing legal advice in the traditional sense."

http://www.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/....ap/index.html

[LawyerRon]

Why would I be nervous?

Attorney/Client privilege is based on certain factors but generally attaches only in the course of legal representation or if a client comes to you for legal advice. Even if the client does not retain the Attorney after seeking his/her advice, Attorney/Client privilege still attaches.

Judge Chin apparently found none of these factors present based on his finding that Rich's lawyers "...were not acting as lawyers or providing legal advice in the traditional sense."

I have no problem with that.

[Computer Hobbyist]

I agree with LawyerRon. Why should any lawyer be concerned by the Judges' actions in the Rich case?

Anyway, lawyers are only concerned about efforts to penetrate the lawyer/client privilege because they are sworn to protect their clients and their clients' rights. Everybody should be worried when there is an effort to breach the lawyer/client privilege.

CH