Court Affirms Disqualification of Law Firm, Cites Common Interest Doctrine

LOS ANGELES -- A California Appellate court has affirmed the disqualification of the Metzger Law Group from participating in a toxic chemical exposure case, ruling that under the common interest doctrine, attorneys do not waive the attorney work product privilege by communicating with one another. Meza v. H. Muehlstein & Co., et al., No. B201427 (Calif. 2nd Dist. Ct. App., Div. 3).

In the Aug. 18 decision, the Second District Court of Appeal rejected the underlying plaintiff's contention that because the attorney at issue in the appeal -- who at one point represented a defendant in the action -- had …