FirstEnergy Can Shield Internal Probes From Suing Investors (1)

FirstEnergy Corp. doesn’t have to hand over to suing shareholders two internal investigations that stemmed from a federal corruption probe that took down the former Ohio House speaker, the Sixth Circuit said Friday.

Attorney-client privilege and the work-product doctrine “clearly covered” the reports by Jones Day and Squire Patton Boggs, the three-judge panel for the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled. The Columbus, Ohio-based trial judge who said the utility must turn it over erred, the court said, as both firms were hired after the arrest of Speaker Larry Householder (R) to “secure legal advice” and ...