What type of privilege does the attorney-client relationship create?

The attorney-client privilege is a foundational principle in the legal profession that ensures communications between a client and their attorney remain confidential, thereby encouraging full and frank discussions. This privilege protects the client's right to disclose all relevant information to their attorney without fear that it will later be revealed in a legal proceeding, which is vital for effective legal representation.

While it is important to understand that the privilege is often referred to in evidentiary contexts, the essence of this principle is about maintaining confidentiality in the attorney-client communication. The privilege applies primarily in situations where the communication is intended to be private and relates to legal advice or assistance. Given that the question is aimed at identifying the type of privilege created by the attorney-client relationship, "evidentiary" accurately captures the nature of how this privilege operates within legal proceedings, as it specifically refers to the rules governing the admissibility of this privileged communication in court.

The other options, such as transactional or statutory, do not encapsulate the primary function of the privilege in the context of attorney-client communications. Transactional could refer more generally to business dealings, and statutory may imply laws governing certain relations or activities but does not directly link to the specific protections afforded by the attorney-client relationship.