McGrath v. Nassau County Health Care Corp.

204 F.R.D. 240, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19817, 2001 WL 1549260
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedNovember 30, 2001
DocketNo. 00-CV-6454 (TCP)(WDW)
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 204 F.R.D. 240 (McGrath v. Nassau County Health Care Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McGrath v. Nassau County Health Care Corp., 204 F.R.D. 240, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19817, 2001 WL 1549260 (E.D.N.Y. 2001).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

PLATT, District Judge.

Defendant Nassau Health Care Corporation (“NHCC”) objects pursuant to Rule 72(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to an Order entered by Magistrate Judge Wall on September 28, 2001 (“September 28th Order”) directing NHCC to produce documents related to an internal investigation conducted by NHCC following allegations of sexual harassment made by one of NHCC’s female employees. For the reasons stated below, NHCC’s objection is overruled.

BACKGROUND

A. Claims

The present Objection stems from a discovery dispute that arose in Sally Pistorio McGrath’s (“McGrath”) and John McGrath’s action against NHCC and the former chairman of its board of directors, Eric Rosenblum (“Rosenblum”). Plaintiffs allege that Rosenblum sexually harassed McGrath through a litany of lewd activities and untoward statements, and that NHCC negligently permitted Rosenblum to continue those practices by not terminating him. Specifically, Plaintiffs assert Title VII hostile work environment claims, claims brought under § 1983, New York Human Rights Law claims, assault and battery, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and loss of services. (Am.Compl.¶¶ 87-113.)

[242]*242B. Factual Background

McGrath commenced full-time employment with NHCC in September 1999. (Am. Compl.1l 21.) She alleges that Rosenblum sexually harassed her over the next few months by passing lewd remarks to her, inappropriately touching her and eventually giving her a note containing an indecent direction. This alleged harassment ultimately came to the attention of members of NHCC’s senior management.

On July 20, 2000, McGrath met with NHCC’s chief operating officer (“C.O.O.”), Jerrold Newman, and general counsel Lou Savenetti at their request to discuss Rosen-blum’s alleged misconduct. (Am. Compl. H 71; Defs.’ Obj. to Mag. J.’s Order of 9/28/01 at 2.) At this meeting, McGrath disclosed Rosenblum’s alleged sexually harassment.

The next day, on July 21, 2000, McGrath again met with NHCC officials. (Am. Compl. ¶ 77; Defs.’ Obj. to Mag. J.’s Order of 9/28/01 at 2). At that meeting, NHCC officials obtained McGrath’s permission to reassign her to a new department so that she would be segregated from Rosenblum. (Am. Compl. ¶ 77; Defs.’ Obj. to Mag. J.’s Order of 9/28/01 at 2.) Four days later, on July 25, 2000, McGrath filed an EEOC complaint. McGrath v. Nassau Health Care Corp., No. 00-CV-6454, 1 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 28, 2001) (order compelling disclosure of investigative documents).

Shortly after McGrath met with NHCC’s C.O.O. and general counsel, but before McGrath filed her EEOC complaint, NHCC commenced an internal investigation into McGrath’s claims through its outside counsel, Amy Ventry (“Ventry”) of Nixon Peabody, L.L.P. (Pis.’ Resp. to Defs.’ Obj. to Mag. J.’s Order of 9/28/01 at 2.) Ventry’s investigation continued until some time in September of 2000. McGrath, No. 00-CV-6454, 2 (order compelling disclosure of investigative documents). Following completion of the investigation, Rosenblum was removed as chairman of the NHCC board of directors, but remained a member of the board. (Am. Compl.¶ 76.)

On October 30, 2000, Plaintiffs filed a Complaint.1 On August 3, 2001, Plaintiffs wrote a letter brief seeking the production of various documents pertaining to NHCC’s internal investigation of McGrath’s allegations. (Defs.’ Obj. to Mag. J.’s Order of 9/28/01 Ex. 2). Defendants wrote a responsive letter brief on August 14, 2001 opposing Plaintiffs’ letter of August 3, 2001, and suggested that Magistrate Judge Wall inspect the documents Plaintiffs sought in camera. (Defs.’ Obj. to Mag. J.’s Order of 9/28/01 Ex. 3.)

On September 26, 2001, Magistrate Judge Wall heard oral argument on Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel Disclosure. (Defs.’ Obj. to Mag. J.’s Order of 9/28/01 at 2.) Two days later, Magistrate Judge Wall issued the September 28th Order directing Defendants to produce Ventry’s “reports and notes ... [.]” “Section V of ... Ventry’s report ... which was inexplicably deleted from the copy submitted to the court for in camera review ... along with the material apparently deleted from page ten of ... Ventry’s report, and any other deleted materials.” McGrath, No. 00-CV-6454, 5 (order compelling production of investigative documents).

On October 8, 2001, Defendants objected to the September 28th Order. NHCC again contends in its Objection that the documents sought are privileged, that NHCC has not placed the contents of the documents at issue, and that it has therefore not waived any privilege with respect to those documents. NHCC supports that position with an affidavit from Ventry affirming that she conducted her investigation in order to advise NHCC in anticipation of likely litigation to be commenced by McGrath, and that the sought after documents were consequently prepared in anticipation of litigation. (Ventry Aff. ¶¶ 3-4.)

DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review for Non-Disposi-tive Pretrial Orders

A District Court reviewing a Magistrate Judge’s non-dispositive pretrial order may not modify or set aside any part of that order unless it is clearly erroneous or con[243]*243trary to law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(a); Mathias v. Jacobs, 167 F.Supp.2d 606, 621-23 (S.D.N.Y.2001); In re Health Mgmt., 96-CV-0889, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22729, *12 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 28, 1999). Findings are clearly erroneous when the reviewing court is firmly convinced the lower court decided an issue in error. Lanzo v. City of New York, No. 96-CV-3242, 1999 WL 1007346, *2-3, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16569, at *7-8 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 21, 1999). This standard imposes a heavy burden on the objecting party, and only permits reversal where the Magistrate Judge abused his discretion. Mathias, 167 F.Supp.2d at 621-23; Lanzo, 1999 WL 1007346, *3, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16569, at *7.

Orders requiring the production of allegedly privileged materials are non-dispositive pretrial orders. See Fullerton v. Prudential Ins. Co., 194 F.R.D. 100, 102 (S.D.N.Y.2000). Accordingly, Magistrate Judge Wall’s Order must be reviewed under the clearly erroneous or contrary to law standard.

B. Privilege and Waiver

1. Attorney-Client Privilege

The attorney-client privilege “protects confidential communications made for the purpose of obtaining legal advice.” Vingelli v. United States, 992 F.2d 449, 454 (2d Cir.1993). The privilege attaches to “confidential communications ... between a client’s representative and the client’s attorney, between representatives of a client, or between attorneys for a client.” Viacom, Inc. v. Sumitomo Corp. (In re Copper Mkt. Antitrust Litig.), 200 F.R.D. 213, 217 (S.D.N.Y.2001). The attorney-client privilege exists because “ ‘sound legal advice or advocacy serves public ends and ... such advice or advocacy depends upon the lawyer’s being fully informed by the client.’ ” United States v. Doe (In re Grand Jury Proceedings),

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Bluebook (online)
204 F.R.D. 240, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19817, 2001 WL 1549260, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcgrath-v-nassau-county-health-care-corp-nyed-2001.