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:

1. Spot the "uh‑oh" moments that flip civil into criminal and how to be proactive when something just doesn't feel right.
2. Identify triggers with whistleblower complaints (whether or not grounded in fact), data breaches affecting financial records, and contact from a governmental agency.
3. 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.
4. Collaborate effectively with attorneys on remediation and disclosure decisions.
5. Create a game plan for subpoenas, cyber hiccups, preserving documents, issue holds, protect your license, and coordinate compliant responses.