Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-01022/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-01022-32/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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 This action has given rise to numerous law and motion proceedings and orders, both as to

discovery issues and as to substantive issues heard by the presiding judge. The factual background,

therefore, will not be repeated here.

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*E-FILED 5/23/07*

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

ADVANTE INTERNATIONAL CORP. et al., 

Plaintiffs,

 v.

MINTEL LEARNING TECHNOLOGY, et al.,

Defendants. /

NO. C 05-01022 JW (RS)

ORDER GRANTING MOTION

TO COMPEL

Defendant Mintel Learning Technology moves to compel plaintiff Advante International

Corp. to produce emails exchanged between James Liu, its former CEO, and his counsel, Shawn

Leuthold of the Bergeson, LLP, law firm1. The Court finds this matter suitable for disposition

without oral argument, pursuant to Local Rule 7-1 (b). 

The emails at issue were all undisputedly either copied, blind-copied, or forwarded to a

principal of Advante, Shin Wei, and were found on his hard drive in connection with an inspection

conducted by prior order of this Court. See Order entered November 21, 2006 (Docket No. 209). In

opposition to the motion, Advante argues: (1) it lacks authority to waive attorney-client privilege of

a third party, and (2) disclosure of attorney-client communications to a person other than the client

does not always automatically result in waiver of the privilege. Although Advante may be correct

that a finding of waiver does not automatically flow from disclosure to a third party, Advante has

Case 5:05-cv-01022-JW Document 479 Filed 05/23/07 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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failed to show how the disclosure to Shin Wei of the communications between James Liu and his

counsel operated as anything but a waiver of any privilege that otherwise might attach. 

Accordingly, good cause appearing, IT IS ORDERED THAT:

(1) On May 30, 2007, Advante shall produce copies of the emails in dispute.

(2) If, prior to 5:00 p.m. on May 29, 2007, James Liu files a motion herein for relief from

this order, Advante’s obligation to produce the emails shall be stayed, pending further order of the

Court.

(3) This Order is made without prejudice to any argument that James Liu lacks standing to

seek relief herein or that he waived any right to contest production of the emails by not seeking relief

at an earlier time.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 23, 2007 

RICHARD SEEBORG

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 5:05-cv-01022-JW Document 479 Filed 05/23/07 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT NOTICE OF THIS ORDER HAS BEEN GIVEN TO:

Christopher Banys banysc@howrey.com, banysc@howrey.com; melendyk@howrey.com

Brian Wesley Carver bcarver@fenwick.com, rlopez@fenwick.com

Chien-Ju Alice Chuang achuang@fenwick.com, dyoungman@fenwick.com

Rodger R. Cole rcole@fenwick.com, vpieretti@fenwick.com

Songmee L. Connolly SConnolly@Fenwick.com, lrubinstein@fenwick.com

J. James Li lij@howrey.com, schwabs@howrey.com; sflitigationdocketing@howrey.com

Ryan Jared Marton rmarton@fenwick.com

Anne Miki Ortel ortela@howrey.com, melendyk@howrey.com

Marilee Chan Wang wangm@howrey.com 

Counsel are responsible for distributing copies of this document to co-counsel who have not

registered for e-filing under the Court's CM/ECF program. 

Dated: 5/23/07 Chambers of Judge Richard Seeborg

By: /s/ BAK 

Case 5:05-cv-01022-JW Document 479 Filed 05/23/07 Page 3 of 3