What are the ethical and professional considerations for attorneys in an age of social media? This lesson, written by Samuel J. Horovitz, explores these issues using a scenario involving how to best respond to negative online reviews. The lesson was inspired by Florida Bar Ethics Opinion 20-01 (October 9, 2020).
Viewers will learn more about communicating with clients, opposing counsel, and judges; appropriate social media use; confidentiality; consent required to reveal information; exceptions to the confidentiality rules; the appropriate language to use when responding to negative online reviews; and best practices for social media use.
- Scene 5a: “The Bad Review”
- Scene 5b: “The Dilemma – Part 1”
- Scene 5c: “The Dilemma – Part 2”
- Scene 5d: “The Plan”
Supplemental Materials
- Handout
- The Florida Bar Ethics Hotline (800-235-8619)
- YLD Social Media Pocket Guide, published February 1, 2021
- ABA formal opinion 496
- Rahming, D. E. (2023, June 20). The attorney-client privilege V. the confidentiality rule: A lawyer’s conundrum in the use and application of the evidence code V. the rules of professional conduct. The Florida Bar. https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-news/the-attorney-client-privilege-v-the-confidentiality-rule-a-lawyers-conundrum-in-the-use-and-application-of-the-evidence-code-v-the-rules-of-professional-conduct/
