Your first question about defense attorneys, can they confer with other..?
Got me wondering if that issue was covered in the early hearings relating to the gag orders. I don’t remember clearly. Does anyone?
I assumed that so early on in the proceedings, individual attorneys would not want to confer or share info. as it might not benefit their client. Meaning, let’s wait a bit and see how things play out, who may be offered a deal or which defendant may talk, before conferring with other attorneys.
There is a term, joint defense privilege or common interest rule
Here is the Wikipedia link.
It seems complicated. I can’t figure out if it applies to these cases, Wagners.
https://en.m.wikipedi a.org/wiki/Joint_defense_privilege
“The
joint defense privilege, or
common-interest rule, is an extension of the
attorney–client privilege. Under “common interest” or “joint defense” doctrine, parties with shared interest in actual or potential litigation against common adversary may share privileged information without waiving their right to assert attorney–client privilege. Because the joint defense "privilege sometimes may apply outside the context of actual litigation, what the parties call a ‘joint defense’ privilege is more aptly termed the ‘common interest’ rule.””
It goes on and on.
A google search of these terms brings up many articles, but all are too complicated for me to understand when or to whom this rule or privilege would apply.