Ethics Opinions

Committee on Professional Ethics Topic: Responding to a former client’s critical commentary on a website   Digest of the Committee: “A lawyer may not disclose confidential client information solely to respond to a former client’s criticism of the lawyer posted on a lawyer-rating website.” New York Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.6(a); 1.6(b); 1.9(c) The full […]

District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conducts are available on line at http://www.dcbar… District of Columbia ethics opinions are available at http://www.dcbar…  

The Pennsylvania Bar Association issued a formal opinion on attorneys’ use of social media. The opinion deals with the following issues: (1) whether attorneys may advise clients about the content of the clients’ social networking websites; (2) whether attorneys may connect with a client or former client on a social networking website; (3) whether attorneys […]

Philadelphia Bar Association Opinion 2014-5 Professional Guidance Committee  The Philadelphia Bar Association issued an advisory opinion on advising clients on the use of Social Media. The opinion concerned the following issues: (i) whether a lawyer may advice a client to change privacy settings on her Facebook page; (ii) whether a lawyer may instruct a client […]

Topic: Advising a Civil Litigation Client about Social Media From the opinion “Opinion rules a lawyer must advise a client about information on social media if information and postings on social media are relevant and material to the client’s representation. The lawyer may advise a client to remove information on social media if not spoliation […]

Wyoming Rules of Professional Conduct are available on line at http://www.courts.state.wy… Wyoming ethics opinions not available online

The ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility recently issued an opinion addressing lawyers’ review of jurors’ internet presence distinguishing: (i) a “passive lawyer review” (i.e., a juror’s webpage is publicly available and the juror is unaware of lawyer’s review); (ii) an “active lawyer review” (i.e., the lawyer actually requests access to the juror’s […]

Committee on Professional Ethics Topic:  Advertising; solicitation; press releases and tweets regarding shareholder litigation Digest of the Committee: “Press releases and tweets directed to potential clients in shareholder suits constitute advertising and solicitation. They are thus subject to retention requirements, and, if directed to New York recipients, are also subject to filing requirements. The tweets […]

Massachusetts Bar Association Ethics Opinion 14-5 [Approved by the Massachusetts Bar Association’s House of Delegates on May 8, 2014]   Topic: lawyer’s contact with unrepresented party via social network Summary: “A lawyer for a party may “friend” an unrepresented adversary in order to obtain information helpful to her representation from the adversary’s nonpublic website only when […]

The bar Association of San Francisco Ethics Committee Topic: Response to Clients’ Online Review Digest from the opinion “An attorney is not ethically barred from responding generally to an online review by a former client where the former client’s matter has concluded.  However, the duty of confidentiality prevents the attorney from disclosing confidential information about […]