Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram – every new day seems to bring a new social media website and a new electronic fad. How can attorneys harness these new technologies in their legal practice without running afoul of the ethical rules? Can you ethically post the big verdict from your trial on your website? Are you required to keep copies of all your blog posts? Can you counsel clients to remove embarrassing photos from their Facebook page two weeks before trial? What if your friend endorses you for Maritime Law on LinkedIn — but you’re a family law attorney? These increasingly common electronic scenarios vex ethics regulators and attorneys alike.
In this incredibly timely course, attorney Ed McIntyre provides practical, common sense guidance so you can remain ethical in our brave new electronic world. The main issues discussed in this CLE course include legal ethics & risk mitigation, old ethics rules vs. new technologies, communicating electronically with clients, the ethics of cybersleuthing and counseling clients to delete information from social media accounts. Additional subjects covered: the ABA Model Rules, the California Rules of Professional Conduct, the Duty of Competence, the Duty of Confidentiality, the Duty of Communication, the legal advertising rules, websites & blogs, Twitter, disclaimers, confidentiality & social media, your website & the attorney-client relationship, friending parties & individuals involved in litigation, the no contact rule, suppression of evidence, the Virginia “I Heart Hot Moms” case and LinkedIn endorsements.
A veteran trial attorney, Edward J. McIntyre practices complex business litigation in federal and state courts. An expert on the topic of professional responsibility, he also now advises and represents attorneys on issues of professional responsibility, risk mitigation and professional negligence issues. He testifies as an expert witness in court, writes a monthly column on professional responsibility in the San Diego Lawyer Magazine and frequently lectures on this topic. He is also a member and chair of the San Diego County Bar Association Legal Ethics Committee and received the 2013 Top Lawyers of San Diego distinction.