With legal professional privilege being one of the most common sources of questions for litigators, law firm Ashurst has launched online digital tool "Privilege Plus".

This tool will help clients efficiently determine whether a document is protected by English law legal privilege rules. 

Privilege Plus asks a series of questions and, based on the answers, indicates whether a document is likely to be privileged or not. It looks at four scenarios – at the point of creation, post-creation, whether a document can be shared, and (as an additional category) when without prejudice privilege applies.

Partner Tom Cummins said the tool will help those within client organisations, either in a legal or commercial capacity, obtain a steer in relation to these routine requests. "Questions of privilege are hugely important, and often arise whenever documents are prepared or shared. For all involved, the Privilege Plus tool hopefully will make it easier to navigate this area of the law."

Partner Lynn Dunne added, "Professional privilege is an ongoing challenge for our clients, with firms often receiving hundreds of queries a year. Technology and digitalisation are changing the way we deliver legal advice, and tools such as Privilege Plus provide a practical solution to an everyday question in a straightforward, cost-effective and accessible way."