Jacobs v. Equity Trust Co.

**Jacobs v. Equity Trust Company: Court Protects Company's Attorney Communications** This case involved a contract dispute between an employee named Jacobs and Equity Trust Company. During the legal proceedings, Jacobs wanted to see certain emails and documents that the company had exchanged with its lawyers. The company refused, claiming these communications should remain private under attorney-client privilege, which protects confidential conversations between clients and their attorneys. The trial court initially ordered Equity Trust to turn over the documents. However, the appeals court disagreed and reversed this decision. The appeals court ruled that the company's communications with its attorneys were indeed protected by attorney-client privilege and should remain confidential. The court found that these emails and drafts contained legal advice and should not be disclosed to the opposing side. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling reinforces that companies can keep their attorney communications private during employment disputes. For workers involved in legal cases against employers, this means they may not be able to access all internal company documents, particularly those involving legal strategy or advice. Workers should understand that while they can request many types of evidence during litigation, attorney-client privileged communications typically remain off-limits, which could affect the information available to support their case.