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ABA Section of Business Law Audit Response Letters in the ...

ABA Section of Business Law Audit Response Letters in the New Environment November 19, 2004 Stanley Keller, Chair Table of Contents Statement of Policy Regarding Lawyers Responses to Auditors Requests for Information Ad Hoc Committee on Audit Reponses: Report on Listserv Activity (Inception to August 3, 2004) The Attorney-Client Privilege And Work Product In The Post-Enron Era The Auditor s Need For Its Client s Detailed Information vs. The Client s Need to Preserve the Attorney-Client Privilege and Work Product Protection: The Debate, The Problems, and Proposed Solutions Statement of PolicyRegarding Lawyers Responses toAuditors Requestsfor Information Committee on Audit Inquiry ResponsesPractical Resources for the Business LawyerBUSINESS LAWABA Section of"Copyright 1976, 1998, 2003, American Bar Association.

ABA Section of Business Law Audit Response Letters in the New Environment November 19, 2004 Stanley Keller, Chair Table of Contents 4.1 Statement of Policy Regarding Lawyers’ Responses to Auditors’ Requests for Information

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1 ABA Section of Business Law Audit Response Letters in the New Environment November 19, 2004 Stanley Keller, Chair Table of Contents Statement of Policy Regarding Lawyers Responses to Auditors Requests for Information Ad Hoc Committee on Audit Reponses: Report on Listserv Activity (Inception to August 3, 2004) The Attorney-Client Privilege And Work Product In The Post-Enron Era The Auditor s Need For Its Client s Detailed Information vs. The Client s Need to Preserve the Attorney-Client Privilege and Work Product Protection: The Debate, The Problems, and Proposed Solutions Statement of PolicyRegarding Lawyers Responses toAuditors Requestsfor Information Committee on Audit Inquiry ResponsesPractical Resources for the Business LawyerBUSINESS LAWABA Section of"Copyright 1976, 1998, 2003, American Bar Association.

2 This material is reprinted with permission from Committee on Audit Inquiry Responses, Auditor's letter Handbook (1976 & Supp. 1998). All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or downloaded or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association." Nothing contained in this book is to be considered as the rendering of legal advice for specific cases, and readers are responsible for obtaining such advice from their own legal counsel. This book and any forms and agreements herein are intended for educational and informational purposes only. The Statement of Policy Regarding Lawyers Responses to Auditors Requests for Information, Commentary to the Statement of Policy, First Report of the Committee on Audit Inquiry Responses Regarding Initial Implementation of the Statement of Policy, Second Report of the Committee on Audit Inquiry Responses Regarding Initial Implementation of the Statement of Policy, Report of the Subcommittee on Audit Inquiry Responses, and Third Report of the Committee on Law and Accounting are protected under the United States copyright law and may not be reproduced in any manner without express permission.

3 The text of the sample Letters included in the Commentary to the Statement of Policy and First Report of the Committee on Audit Inquiry Responses Regarding Initial Implementation of the Statement of Policy may be reproduced by the original purchaser (or a single transferee) in conjunction with his or her individual professional practice, but no part of the sample Letters may be republished in any form without the express permission of the American Bar Association. This material may be downloaded and stored on a single computer or moved to and used on another computer. This material or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or otherwise downloaded or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

4 If you are interested in obtaining a license to use the set of files on a local network, please contact the Director, Copyrights and Contracts, American Bar Association, 750 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60611; 312-988-6101. Copyright 1976, 1998, 2003 American Bar Association The following material is reprinted with permission from COMMITTEE ON Audit INQUIRY RESPONSES, AUDITOR S letter HANDBOOK (1976 & Supp. 1998). Table of Contents Statement of Policy Regarding Lawyers Responses to Auditors Requests for 4 4 Statement of Policy .. 5 Commentary to the Statement of Policy .. 10 Annex A: Sample Letters .. 20 First Report of the Committee on Audit Inquiry Responses Regarding Initial Implementation of the Statement of Policy .. 24 Introductory Analysis and 24 Sample 29 Second Report of the Committee on Audit Inquiry Responses Regarding Initial Implementation of the Statement of Policy.

5 31 Report of the Subcommittee on Audit Inquiry Responses .. 40 [Third] Report of the Committee on Law and Accounting .. 43 STATEMENT OF POLICY AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION Statement of Policy Regarding Lawyers' Responses to Auditors' Requests for Information1 Preamble The public interest in protecting the confidentiality of lawyer-client communications is fundamental. The American legal, political and economic systems depend heavily upon voluntary compliance with the law and upon ready access to a respected body of professionals able to interpret and advise on the law. The expanding complexity of our laws and governmental regulations increases the need for prompt, specific and unhampered lawyer-client communication. The benefits of such communication and early consultation underlie the strict statutory and ethical obligations of the lawyer to preserve the confidences and secrets of the client, as well as the long-recognized testimonial privilege for lawyer-client communication.

6 Both the Code of Professional Responsibility and the cases applying the evidentiary privilege recognize that the privilege against disclosure can be knowingly and voluntarily waived by the client. It is equally clear that disclosure to a third party may result in loss of the "confidentiality" essential to maintain the privilege. Disclosure to a third party of the lawyer-client communication on a particular subject may also destroy the privilege as to other communications on that subject. Thus, the mere disclosure by the lawyer to the outside auditor, with due client consent, of the substance of communications between the lawyer and client may significantly impair the client's ability in other contexts to maintain the confidentiality of such communications. Under the circumstances a policy of Audit procedure which requires clients to give consent and authorize lawyers to respond to general inquiries and disclose information to auditors concerning matters which have been communicated in confidence is essentially destructive of free and open communication and early consultation between lawyer and client.

7 The institution of such a policy would inevitably discourage management from discussing potential legal problems with counsel for fear that such discussion might become public and precipitate a loss to or possible liability of the Business enterprise and its stockholders that might otherwise never materialize. It is also recognized that our legal, political and economic systems depend to an important extent on public confidence in published financial statements. To meet this need the accounting profession must adopt and adhere to standards and procedures that will command confidence in the auditing process. It is not, however, believed necessary, or sound public policy, to intrude upon the confidentiality of the lawyer-client 1 Previously published in The Business Lawyer, Vol.

8 31, No. 3 (April 1976). Editor s note: The Board of Governors of the American Bar Association on December 8, 1975, approved the following ABA Statement of Policy. (The Statement had been approved in principle by the Section Council in Montreal in August 1975 and, as revised, in early December 1975.) A Statement on Auditing Standards, which coordinates with the approach set forth in the revised ABA Statement, was approved on January 7, 1976, by the AICPA Auditing Standards Executive Committee. A copy of the ABA Statement of Policy is hereinafter set forth. Auditor s letter Handbook 1976, 1998, 2003 American Bar Association STATEMENT OF POLICY relationship in order to command such confidence. On the contrary, the objective of fair disclosure in financial statements is more likely to be better served by maintaining the integrity of the confidential relationship between lawyer and client, thereby strengthening corporate management's confidence in counsel and encouraging its readiness to seek advice of counsel and to act in accordance with counsel's advice.

9 Consistent with the foregoing public policy considerations, it is believed appropriate to distinguish between, on the one hand, litigation which is pending or which a third party has manifested to the client a present intention to commence and, on the other hand, other contingencies of a legal nature or having legal aspects. As regards the former category, unquestionably the lawyer representing the client in a litigation matter may be the best source for a description of the claim or claims asserted, the client's position ( denial, contest, etc.), and the client's possible exposure in the litigation (to the extent the lawyer is in a position to do so). As to the latter category, it is submitted that, for the reasons set forth above, it is not in the public interest for the lawyer to be required to respond to general inquiries from auditors concerning possible claims.

10 It is recognized that the disclosure requirements for enterprises subject to the reporting requirements of the Federal securities laws are a major concern of managements and counsel, as well as auditors. It is submitted that compliance therewith is best assured when clients are afforded maximum encouragement, by protecting lawyer-client confidentiality, freely to consult counsel. Likewise, lawyers must be keenly conscious of the importance of their clients being completely advised in these matters. Statement of Policy NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that it is desirable and in the public interest that this Association adopt the following Statement of Policy regarding the appropriate scope of the lawyer's Response to the auditor's request, made by the client at the request of the auditor, for information concerning matters referred to the lawyer during the course of his representation of the client: (1) Client Consent to Response .


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