What is legal professional privilege?

• A. Privilege protecting confidential communications between a client and their lawyer for purposes of seeking or receiving legal advice, which cannot be compelled in court unless waived.
• B. Privilege for statements to police.
• C. Privilege for all communications regardless.
• D. Privilege ends when matter becomes public.

Answer: (A)

Legal professional privilege is a shield for confidential communications between a client and their lawyer when the purpose is to seek or receive legal advice. Because these conversations are kept confidential to encourage candid legal consultation, they cannot be disclosed in court unless the client waives the privilege or an established exception applies. It applies only to those communications that are confidential and made for obtaining or giving legal advice, not to all statements or to police communications, and it isn’t automatically lost simply because the matter becomes public—the confidentiality must be preserved or lawfully waived for the privilege to end.