Of Legal Professional Privilege

SCHREUDER -v- MURRAY [No 2] [2009] WASCA 145 (14 August 2009) Buss JA McLure AJ agreeing)

59 Legal professional privilege comprises two categories, namely, legal advice privilege and litigation privilege. Legal advice privilege can be claimed in respect of information or documents which contain or reveal confidential communications between a client and his or her lawyer made for the dominant purpose of giving or receiving legal advice, whether or not litigation is subsisting or within the reasonable contemplation of the client. Litigation privilege can be claimed where litigation is subsisting or within the reasonable contemplation of the client, and applies to confidential communications passing between a lawyer and his or her client or between the lawyer and third parties, and confidential information or documents brought into existence, for the dominant purpose of preparing for the litigation.