5 Social Media Land Mines Lawyers Should Avoid

July 31, 2015
Law360

Types : In the News

Social media contains plenty of opportunities for attorneys to boost their profile, and ultimately, their business. It also contains plenty of potential land mines that can derail a career.

The latest lawyer to publicly trip one: outspoken U.S. District Judge Richard G. Kopf, who could face disciplinary action over a post on his personal blog in which he called Sen. Ted Cruz a “wacko” unfit for the White House.

[…]

“Lawyers that are very thoughtful in their in-person communications need to remember that just because you’re tapping something into your phone or taking a video of yourself … those laws and rules still apply,” says Jeremy Mishkin, who co-chairs Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP’s litigation practice and frequently handles Internet and media law issues. “The most common mistake that manifests itself with a lawyer is that they forget they have a duty of confidentiality to their clients. That [social media post] ends up compromising a confidence or disclosure.”

[…]

–Additional reporting Andrew Strickler and Lisa Ryan. Editing Jeremy Barker and Patricia K. Cole.

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