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DOCUMENTS SOUGHT BY PETITIONER WERE EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE BASED UPON THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, THE ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT AND THE INTER-, INTRA-AGENCY COMMUNICATION EXEMPTIONS (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, modifying Supreme Court, determined emails between the governor’s office, counsel and Department of Transportation (DOT) employees concerning a gas station sublease which had been held by petitioner, but which was terminated by DOT, were exempt from disclosure based upon attorney-client privilege, attorney work-product, and the inter-, intra-agency communication exemption:

In determining whether a communication is protected by the attorney-client privilege, “the critical inquiry is whether, viewing the lawyer’s communication in its full content and context, it was made in order to render legal advice or services to the client” … . In that regard, inasmuch as facts are the foundation of legal advice, the attorney-client privilege protects communications between an attorney and his or her client that convey facts relevant to a legal issue under consideration, even if the information contained in the communication is not privileged … . Each of the emails at issue are communications between counsel in the Governor’s Office and DOT employees that contain or reference factual information relevant to counsel providing legal advice regarding the proposed termination of the sublease. Accordingly, we conclude that the emails are protected by the attorney-client privilege and, therefore, Supreme Court erred in ordering their disclosure.

Respondents further contend that preliminary drafts of the letter that was ultimately sent terminating the sublease are exempt from disclosure under FOIL as inter-agency or intra-agency materials and as attorney work product … . The letters are drafts of the final termination notice that incorporate counsel’s recommendations and that were circulated in furtherance of the decision-making process prior to a final determination; accordingly, they are exempt from disclosure under FOIL as inter-agency or intra-agency materials and as attorney work product … . Matter of Gilbert v Office of the Governor of the State of N.Y., 2019 NY Slip Op 02189, Third Dept 3-21-19

 

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