U.S. Chamber Applauds House Passage of the Attorney -Client Privilege Protection Act of 2007

WASHINGTON, DC-The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today praised House passage of H.R. 3013, the Attorney- Client Privilege Protection Act of 2007, calling it a step in the right direction in protecting basic due process. The Chamber looks forward to working with the Senate to pass similar legislation.

"This bill marks an important milestone in the effort to protect the rights of organizations and their employees to consult freely with their attorneys," said Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue. "By passing this bill, the U.S. House of Representatives sent a clear message to the Department of Justice and other enforcement agencies that their abusive prosecutorial tactics must come to an end."

The DOJ, SEC, and other enforcement agencies routinely require or expect waivers of this privilege, creating an untenable situation for businesses, their employees, and attorneys.

"The attorney-client privilege is at the heart of a defendant's right to effective counsel and a cornerstone of basic due process," added Donohue. "If people cannot trust the confidentiality of their legal advisors, they will be much less likely to raise and address problems, such as complying with laws - and uncovering fraud."

The Chamber and its allies on this issue, which include most business, civil rights and legal groups from around the country, look forward to working with the Senate to pass similar legislation. The U.S. Chamber will continue to work with the Administration, Congress, and the courts if necessary to completely reverse the erosion to the Attorney-Client Privilege that is being done by misguided policies at the Justice Department, the SEC and other agencies.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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