Marina Stengart used her company laptop to communicate with her lawyer via her personal, password-protected, web-based e-mail account. The company's policy stated:
E-mail and voice mail messages, internet use and communication and computer files are considered part of the company's business and client records. Such communications are not to be considered private or personal to any individual employee. Occasional personal use is permitted; however, the system should not be used to solicit for outside business ventures, charitable organizations, or for any political or religious purpose, unless authorized by the Director of Human Resources.
After she filed an employment lawsuit against her employer, the company hired an expert to access her emails that had been automatically stored on the laptop. Are these emails protected by the attorney client privilege? How does this case compare with Scott v. Beth Israel earlier in the chapter?