California courts have extended attorneyclient privilege to some situations involving communication with former employees. California employers can avoid this vortex, at least when dealing with their current and former employees.Both can be part of the "corporate client." Is the Attorney Investigator Acting in the Capacity of an Attorney? The attorneyclient privilege is a way to address communication to your outside or inhouse counsel when you need to send a message (ie, letter or email) In all but a few states, the attorneyclient privilege can protect a company's lawyer's communications with former company employees. This publication is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide general information on legal matters. A company's attorney-client privilege does not shield interviews with former employees, at least according to a state supreme court's divided opinion. In Upjohn, the Supreme Court did not fully outline how the attorneyclient privilege applies to communications with former employees. North Carolina state courts have not expressly ruled on wheth- er the attorney-client privilege applies to former employees under.