Re: "which claimed attorney-client privilege"
It goes like this:
"Hand over this big list of documents please."
"Here are half of them."
"Where's the other half?"
"Client-attorney privilege, we don't have to hand them over."
"Was it sent to an attorney, or was it legal advice?"
"No, but we wrote 'client attorney privilege' at the top of the email!"
"Not good enough. Hand them over."
"No! Make me!"
"Ok, see you in court."
From what I've read elsewhere, that's pretty much exactly what happened. Emails between senior google execs, not discussing legal advice, and not sent to any legal representatives, but with "client attorney privilege" written at the top so they don't have to disclose it to anyone. The court will likely disagree, just like they did with the famous 'Lindholm email" where google also tried this particular routine :)