Google Properly Withheld Emails

Plaintiffs cannot compel production of emails relating to Google Inc.'s relationship with a part-time employee and consultant because the attorney-client privilege applied to those communications, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled Feb. 28 (In re High-Tech Employee Antitrust Litigation, N.D. Cal., 5:11-cv-02509-LHK, 2/28/13).

Part-time employee and consultant Bill Campbell was hired to advise Google’s senior management while also serving on Intuit Inc.'s board of directors. The plaintiffs sought to compel production of various emails among Google’s counsel, Campbell, and several other executives in an action alleging anti-competitive conduct in the market for ...