LAW FIRM APPEALS OUSTER FROM TRADE SECRETS CASE

摘要

A San Francisco litigation boutique has appealed a federal judge's ruling that forbids it from representing its client in a trade secrets case because it reviewed privileged communications the client had with other lawyers. "This is the first case we've ever seen in California or anywhere that's said an attorney could be disqualified for advising a client regarding the client's own personal communications with company counsel or some- body else," said Noah Hagey, managing partner of the disqualified law firm, BraunHagey & Borden. Ben Feuer, an appellate attorney for Hagey, called the judge's decision a "gag order . . . broad enough to raise not just First Amendment concerns but also the specter of chilling open and honest communications between clients and lawyers in sensitive whistleblow-ing situations."