Translate it for a board member in 200 wordsTradúcelo para un consejero en 200 palabras

Assignment

A board member with no legal training asks you after a meeting: why does it matter that our managers keep copying the lawyer on their emails, and why did you say that does not make them privileged? Answer in writing, 200 words or fewer, as if sending a short note.

Model answer

Copying a lawyer on an email does not protect it, and relying on that habit could expose our internal discussions in a lawsuit.

Here is the rule in plain terms. Courts protect a conversation only when someone is actually asking a lawyer for legal advice in confidence. A pricing debate among six managers is a business conversation; adding a lawyer’s name to the recipient list does not change what it is. If we are sued, the other side can demand those emails and a judge will likely order us to hand them over.

The risk is practical: candid internal comments about a customer or a product become exhibits.

What I recommend. First, when managers want legal advice, they should write to the lawyer directly and separately, and the lawyer answers in a separate message that we mark as privileged. Second, we train managers to write every email as if a jury will read it. Third, legal reviews the templates the sales team uses.

No decision is needed from the board; I wanted you to know why I pushed back in the meeting. I am happy to walk through examples at the next session.

Common mistakes

• Explaining the attorney-client privilege doctrine with its elements.
• Scaring the board member without giving a fix.
• Exceeding the length because the topic feels complicated.