As technology becomes a larger and more crucial part of providing legal services, lawyers and law students have been inundated with warnings and horror stories of what not to do. Naughty
From confidentiality to e-discovery and communication with jurors, the legal community has become increasingly aware of the many dangers associated with using the technology.
Some of the risks associated with technology are more obvious than others, such as using social media to voice one’s opinion. However, the recent firing of a Kansas research attorney serves as a reminder of just how easy it is to end up in hot water with just the click of a button.
The Kansas lawyer was fired after posting tweets, during a Kansas Supreme Court ethics hearing, calling former Attorney General a “naughty, naughty boy,” and commenting on his facial expressions during the hearing. The attorney proceeded to post predictions about the sanctions that the Attorney General would face for the ethics violation he was charged with.
This situation highlights that breaching client confidentiality is not the only concern that attorneys face when using social media. Although the attorney later apologized for her actions, stating that she was sorry that her comments were made public and thus “perceived as a reflection on the Kansas courts,” she was subsequently fired.
For more information, see http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/research_lawyer_is_suspended_after_tweeting_during_ethics_hearing_of_naught/
