Yes, Judges Should Know About Recurring Ethical Issues Involving the Use of Social Media by Lawyers

Just a few days before my presentation, the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility issued Formal Opinion 480.1 The opinion discusses ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct limits on lawyers who blog or engage in other social commentary. Rule 1.6 protects the identity and privileged and confidential information of current clients, Rule 1.9 protects former clients, and Rule 1.18 protects prospective clients. [...]lawyers must obtain client consent before posting information about clients on websites (including social media sites).3 IV. [...]these prohibitions normally apply to a lawyer's use of others to get around the third party's privacy settings to do the lawyer's bidding. [...]somewhat parenthetically, I found it interesting to see the similarity that several of these social media commandments have with number eight of the real commandments about bearing false witness.