Does attorney-client confidentiality continue after death?

Yes. Attorney-client confidentiality does not simply disappear when a client dies.

This can be frustrating for family members who want information, but lawyers still have duties of confidentiality. We have to be careful about who is asking, what authority they have, and what information can properly be shared.

Protecting confidentiality after death is part of protecting the client and the integrity of the process.

*Reviewed by Estate Planning Attorney Casey Connealy, Partner at Gaughan & Connealy Estate Planning Attorneys on June 23, 2026.