The Attorney-Client Privilege and Information Disclosed to an Attorney with the Intention That the Attorney Draft a Document To Be Released to Third Parties: Public Policy Calls for at Least the Strictest Application of the Attorney-Client Privilege

The attorney-client privilege is the oldest evidentiary privilege known to the common law. It exists to encourage clients to openly communicate with their attorneys. Some commentators, however, have questioned the value of the privilege and called for its elimination. This policy debate, though unlikely to influence typical privilege disputes, is important when the application of the attorney-client privilege is unclear. One example is when a client conveys information to her attorney with the intent that the attorney draft a document to be released to a third party. This Note seeks to shed light on the arguments for and against the application of the attorney-client privilege to this scenario, and concludes that public policy calls for a strict application of the privilege.