Advocate-client privilege bars compelled disclosure of confidential professional communications without the client's consent.

Section 126 protects confidential communications between a client and counsel made in the course of professional employment, including the contents or condition of documents learned in that capacity and legal advice given, subject only to the recognised exceptions for communications in furtherance of an illegal purpose or facts showing crime or fraud. The provision is aimed at preserving confidentiality for both client and advocate and preventing unnecessary involvement of counsel in the client's dispute. Where examination is sought on alleged professional communications, the client's consent is required. On that basis, the trial court's order permitting the advocate's examination was erroneous.

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Issues: Whether an advocate can be summoned and compelled to disclose communications made to him by his client in the course of professional employment without the client's consent.

Analysis: Section 126 protects professional communications between client and counsel and bars disclosure of such communications, the contents or condition of documents learned in professional employment, and advice given in that capacity, except in cases of communications made in furtherance of an illegal purpose or facts showing crime or fraud. The provision is intended to protect both the client and the advocate, preserve confidentiality, and prevent the lawyer from being unnecessarily drawn into proceedings arising out of the client's dispute. Since the proposed examination was directed to the alleged communication made to the advocate in the course of his professional engagement, the client's consent was necessary and the trial court had not adverted to this restriction.

Conclusion: The advocate could not be summoned to disclose the protected professional communication without the clients' consent, and the order permitting his examination was erroneous.

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