State Bar of California Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct Formal Opinion 2012-186
Topic: Social media and attorney advertising
Digest of the Committee:
“Material posted by an attorney on a social media website will be subject to professional responsibility rules and standards governing attorney advertising if that material constitutes a ‘communication’ within the meaning of rule 1-400 (Advertising and Solicitation) of the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of California; or (2) ‘advertising by electronic media’ within the meaning of Article 9.5 (Legal Advertising) of the State Bar Act. The restrictions imposed by the professional responsibility rules and standards governing attorney advertising are not relaxed merely because such compliance might be more difficult or awkward in a social media setting.”
Rules:
California Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 1-400
Business and Professions Code section 6106, 6151, and 6152
Business and Professions Code sections 6157 through 6159.2
The full text is available at http://ethics.calbar.ca.gov…