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Applicability of Privilege to Internal Investigations Upheld, Again

Client Alert | 1 min read | 08.12.15

In a decision preserving the strength of the attorney-client privilege, the D.C. Circuit in U.S. ex rel. Barko v. Halliburton once again vacated an order from the district court requiring KBR to produce attorney-client privileged documents created during an internal investigation. Specifically,  the D.C. Circuit granted mandamus based on the "clear and indisputable error" in the findings that (1) KBR had waived  the privilege under Rule 612 by allowing a non-lawyer, Rule 30(b)(6) witness to review the investigation  report during deposition preparation; and (2) KBR had put the investigation report into issue by mentioning the company's "investigative mechanism" in a motion for summary judgment.


Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 03.12.26

DOJ Releases First-Ever Department-Wide Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy

On March 10, 2026, the Department of Justice released the first-ever Department-wide Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (the “Department-wide CEP” or “Policy”), which applies to all non-antitrust corporate criminal cases across the Department. The new policy has been anticipated since December 2025, when Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the Department’s plans to release a new, single corporate enforcement policy for all criminal matters. According to the Department, the new policy is designed to “help ensure consistency across the Department” and “transparently describe the Department’s policies and decisionmaking.”...