The American Bar Association (ABA) won the backing of key lawmakers ahead of its controversial whistle-blowing reforms, it has emerged, in a move that looks set to out-manoeuvre growing opposition from US bar associations.

Legal Week has learned that the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ), the body representing the supreme court chief justices of the 50 US states, backed ABA proposals to allow lawyers to breach client privilege to prevent fraud at the end of July.