Opinion ID: 1859634
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Direct Waiver

Text: State Farm contends that Carrington and Brown directly waived the attorney-client privilege by producing invoices and testifying as to the fact of representation by the attorneys and as to the expenses they claim to have incurred. This conduct on the part of Carrington and Brown was consistent with their claim for damages to compensate for the economic loss they claim to have suffered by having to incur attorney fees. We have held in Part I of this opinion that the mere fact that in their current lawsuit Carrington and Brown made a claim for damages to compensate for the attorney fees they had incurred in the earlier lawsuit does not indicate a waiver of the attorney-client privilege. We must conclude, also, that Carrington and Brown's production of evidence limited to matters essential to support that claim cannot be a waiver. We also must conclude that State Farm's contention that Carrington and Brown failed to object to discovery of the attorneys' files is without merit, considering the objections lodged by their attorneys in response to the subpoenas duces tecum addressed to the attorneys. The attorney-client privilege belongs solely to the client, not the attorney. Swain v. Terry, 454 So.2d 948, 953-54 (Ala.1984). We have no basis upon which to conclude that the attorneys' invocation of the privilege on behalf of their clients Carrington and Brown was without authorization from Carrington and Brown. Finally, the record does not reflect that State Farm raised in the trial court Carrington and Brown's failure to attach a privilege log pursuant to Rule 45(d)(2); consequently, State Farm has waived any procedural irregularity in this respect. Andrews v. Merritt Oil Co., 612 So.2d 409 (Ala.1992).