Analysis of issues concerning attorney-client privilege and the specifics of agreement formation in legal practices

This article offers a comprehensive analysis of challenges to attorney–client privilege within the advocacy system of the Republic of Uzbekistan, taking account of both traditional and contemporary threats to professional activity. It examines the specifics of legal-assistance agreements across different organizational and legal forms of practice—law firms, bar associations, and solo practice—highlighting how variations in allocation of responsibilities change the risk profile for confidentiality breaches. The study gives special attention to institutional guarantees of attorney independence, the inviolability of office premises and professional communications, and legislative gaps concerning the admissibility and use of information protected by privilege in criminal proceedings. Digital-era threats are considered in detail—cybersecurity vulnerabilities, electronic data leakage, and the need for technical and organizational information-security standards. The paper also analyses the tension between confidentiality obligations and financial-monitoring requirements, as well as risks arising from third-party services and intermediaries. On that basis, the article proposes regulatory and corporate-procedure measures to strengthen attorney–client privilege and enhance public trust in the legal profession.