contract-law privacy real-estate domain-name attorney-client-privilege
Can the details of Estate-ownership be Protected by Attorney-Client Privilege?
<p><em>Title says it all.</em></p>

<p>I am curious about whether properties (physical as well as "virtual estates" i.e. domain-names) in the name of one's lawyer would be a viable alternative to "proxy services" who, for all intents and purposes, become owners of that which is in their name.  My thinking is that a lawyer, unlike a private company, is being paid to do as you ask, to keep one's holdings confidential.  I am not talking about doing so to shield against breaking the law, just to maintain some semblance of privacy in the era of repealed civil liberties.</p>

<p>Edit:  I am fine with making someone else the legal owner and/or operator, I would trust a lawyer that I know much more than online companies who've been known to sell such information even without any legal pressure.</p>

<p>I am not a lawyer.</p>

<p>Short answer is I believe no. Attorney/Client Privilege covers information that you share with your client.  Nothing else. Example: They cannot hide the murder weapon, but if you were to tell them where it is, I believe they are not bound to reveal that location to anyone.</p>

<p>If you put your attorney's name as owner of your property, company or other investments, then you have in effect sold it to them.</p>

<p>One method that could achieve your privacy goal would be for your lawyer to form a company. The lawyer would act as Managing Director, or CEO or whatever but you would own all the shares. So long as you do not hold an executive position (thus you are not a director) then I believe in many juristictions, your share holding would only be listed as "other shareholders" and not by name.</p>

<p>Some tax declarations want to know if you have investments. No tax would become due until you were to profit from the investments (dividends or selling of shares). So you could just fill in and say you own the shares and nothing becomes due, nor is your name on any public register.</p>
