The work product doctrine that bars the mental impressions of attorneys from discovery should cover pre-litigation emails between lawyers and public relations professionals, an attorney for a hospital company argued to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky attorney David Strassburger, who argued for Excela Health, told the justices that emails between his client’s counsel and public relations consultants should be barred from discovery because they dealt with issues that were likely to become the subject of litigation. Even though the public relations firm was not asked to provide advice on the topic, keeping the public relations professionals in the loop was essential, he said, given the nuanced issues that can arise when news of a major company announcement travels around the social media landscape.