Canadian lawyers have won a major battle in their bid to protect solicitor-client privilege which was under threat due to anti-terrorism and money laundering legislation. The Financial Transactions and Report Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) requires anyone involved in financial entities, including lawyers, to report suspicious financial activity and hand over client data. In a 7-0 ruling, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that parts of the legislation were unconstitutional and breached solicitor-client privilege. The ruling declared that lawyers, unlike accountants and financial institutions, should be exempt from the law which would have allowed lawyers' offices to be searched without warrants. Source: National Post
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