This presentation will help you to identify when to call in an attorney to protect yourself and your client—before you become a witness against your client. The materials will cover civil and criminal concerns, the limits of the federally authorized tax practitioner privilege (26 U.S.C. § 7525), when and how to use a Kovel agreement to extend attorney–client privilege, and counsel‑directed legal holds to prevent spoliation. Relevant whether you are a solo practitioner, at a CPA firm, a CFO, controller, internal auditor, or even a voluntary board member.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Spot the "uh‑oh" moments that flip civil into criminal and how to be proactive when something just doesn't feel right.
• Identify triggers with whistleblower complaints (whether or not grounded in fact), data breaches affecting financial records, and contact from a governmental agency.
• Understand the limits of § 7525, use Kovel to extend attorney–client privilege to include a CPA, and maintain work‑product protection—to shield client confidences and reduce your own ethical exposure.
• Collaborate effectively with attorneys on remediation and disclosure decisions.
• Create a game plan for subpoenas, cyber hiccups, preserving documents, issue holds, protect your license, and coordinate compliant responses.