Mention of Contract in Email Waives Attorney-Client Privilege

Carbon fiber manufacturer Zoltek Corp. can’t take back an email chain that it “unwittingly” handed over to attorneys who are suing the company for unpaid legal fees.

The St.Louis-based company also must hand over a draft agreement that is referenced in the email chain because the document is no longer protected by the attorney-client privilege or work product doctrine, Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, said.

Zoltek failed to provide the plaintiffs with a privilege log describing the nature of the documents being withheld. The company also never gave any indication ...