Union County v. Piper Jaffray & Co.

**Union County v. Piper Jaffray & Co. - Court Ruling Summary** This case involved a dispute between Union County and financial services company Piper Jaffray & Co. The county sued Piper Jaffray, claiming the company breached their contract and was negligent in providing financial advice. However, during the lawsuit, Union County tried to keep certain documents secret by claiming they were protected under attorney-client privilege. The court ruled against Union County and sided with Piper Jaffray. The judge decided that Union County had given up its right to keep those attorney-client communications private. By filing the lawsuit and making the quality of Piper Jaffray's financial advice a central issue in the case, the county had "impliedly waived" its privilege. This meant Union County had to turn over the protected documents to Piper Jaffray. **What This Means for Workers:** While this case involved a government entity rather than individual employees, it shows an important legal principle: when you sue your employer and make certain issues central to your case, you might have to give up some privacy protections. If you file a lawsuit claiming workplace problems, be prepared that some of your private communications with lawyers might become part of the case.