Social media has potential pitfalls for everyone, but particularly lawyers. Take a look at these stories about lawyers using — and sometimes abusing — social media, and breathe a sigh of relief that you haven’t made any of these mistakes (you haven’t, right?)
- In Florida, two assistant public defenders were fired after one of them made a derogatory post about Palestinians, suggesting that they should be “burned to the ground.” The other PD “liked” and commented on the post.
- In another case, an Illinois lawyer was suspended for posting a video of his client participating in an undercover drug buy without explaining to the client the risks of the posting.
- In California, a lawyer serving on a jury stipulated to an 18-month suspension after he failed to disclose that he was an attorney during his voir dire examination as a prospective juror in a criminal trial and then, after being chosen as a juror, chronicled the jury deliberations on his blog.
- A Missouri appeals court warned a prosecutor about posting statements on Twitter before and during a trial because of the risk of tainting the jury.
- Finally, a Chicago lawyer was reprimanded after she responded to a client’s negative Avvo review by posting information related to the representation in what was charged as an effort to intimidate the client.
