Opinion ID: 2516664
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the attorney-client relation

Text: We begin with a general overview of the law pertaining to the attorney-client privilege. The privilege protects communications between attorney and client relating to legal advice. Wesp v. Everson, 33 P.3d 191, 196 (Colo.2001). Colorado codified the common law attorney-client privilege at section 13-90-107(1)(b), 5 C.R.S. (2001), which provides: An attorney shall not be examined without the consent of his client as to any communication made by the client to him or his advice given thereon in the course of professional employment; nor shall an attorney's secretary, paralegal, legal assistant, stenographer, or clerk be examined without the consent of his employer concerning any fact, the knowledge of which he has acquired in such capacity. Attorneys serve the useful function of helping clients to navigate our often complex legal system. In order to provide effective legal advice, an attorney must have a full understanding of the facts underlying his representation. Accordingly, we have emphasized that protecting confidential communications between attorney and client facilitates the full development of facts essential to proper representation of a client. Gordon v. Boyles, 9 P.3d 1106, 1123 (Colo.2000); Nat'l Farmers Union Prop. & Cas. Co. v. Dist. Court, 718 P.2d at 1047. Indeed, without the protection the privilege provides to such confidential communications, clients may be reluctant or unwilling to seek legal advice or to confide fully in their attorney. Wesp, 33 P.3d at 196. Thus, we have said that the right of parties within our justice system to consult professional legal experts is rendered meaningless unless communications between attorney and client are ordinarily protected from later disclosure without client consent. Id. Because the effectiveness of legal representation depends in part on the attorney's ability to gain a full understanding of the factual scenario underlying the representation, we have concluded that the privilege protects not only information and advice communicated from the attorney to the client, but also communications to the attorney to enable him to give sound and informed legal advice. [3] Gordon, 9 P.3d at 1123 (citing Upjohn v. United States, 449 U.S. 383, 390, 101 S.Ct. 677, 66 L.Ed.2d 584 (1981)); Nat'l Farmers, 718 P.2d at 1049 (citing Upjohn, 449 U.S. at 390-91, 101 S.Ct. 677).