The Fifth Amendment, Vicarious Liability, and the Attorney-Client Privilege

Waiver of the attorney-client privilege by corporations "cooperating" with the government during investigations of alleged misconduct has become an issue of increasing concern within the legal community. Current U.S. Department of Justice policy, as set forth in a document entitled "Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations" (dated Jan. 20, 2003, sets forth a number of factors that federal prosecutors should consider when contemplating whether or not to criminally charge a corporation. It clearly states that "[g]enerally, prosecutors should apply the same factors in determining whether to charge a corporation as they do with respect to individuals." This policy statement goes on, however, to note that "due to the nature of the corporate 'person,' some additional factors are present," including "[t]he corporation's timely and voluntary disclosure of wrongdoing and its willingness to cooperate in the investigation of its agents, including, if necessary, the waiver of the corporate attorney-client privilege and work-product protection."