SAN FRANCISCO — If defense lawyers get their way, files from a Morgan, Lewis & Bockius investigation of Hewlett-Packard Co.’s disastrous acquisition of British software firm Autonomy Inc. could become evidence in a criminal trial.

Lawyers at Keker, Van Nest & Peters want to force federal prosecutors to search the Morgan Lewis files for evidence that could help the firm’s client, former Autonomy CFO Sushovan Hussain, fend off wire fraud charges.