Your client posted What!!? Top Social Media Concerns for Lawyers

and Clients #Social4Lawyers

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About  our  presenter  Presenter  •  A-orney  licensed  in  New  York  &  

Massachuse-s  •  Prac;ce  focuses  on  Social  Media  Law  

–  Helps  good  li;gators  turn  social  media  into  evidence  &  develop  claims  based  on  li;gant  social  media  use  

–  Assists  organiza;ons  that  want  to  use  social  media  for  business  but  stay  compliant    

•  Twi-er  is  his  favorite  social  media  plaEorm    

•  Pens  Social  Media  Law  column  for  New  York  Daily  Record    

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Why Social Media Matters ‣  Advertising & business generation

‣  See Gyi Tsakalakis’ MyCase Webinar 5 Really Great Examples of Lawyers Using Social Media

‣  Key communication, data & organizational tool for individuals & businesses

‣  Important for attorneys to understand legal implications

‣  Oracle v. Google – voir dire

‣  New ethics opinions or cases - Another Judge Allows Service via Facebook by Niki Black, February 23, 2016

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Poll Question #1

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What social media platform do you most want to discuss today?

1.  Facebook!2.  Twitter!3.  LinkedIn!4.  Personal or company website!5.  Other!

Poll Question #2

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What kinds of clients or stakeholders raise social media concerns for you?

1.  Individual clients!2.  Business clients!3.  Employees or family of clients!4.  Other!5.  I don’t know!

Social is Not Electronic Paper ‣  Huge volume of information

‣  Average Facebook user creates 90 pieces of content/month

‣  50% of 18-24 year-olds go on Facebook when they wake up

‣  There are 83 million fake profiles on Facebook

‣  Huge variety of data: posts, likes, connections, video, etc.

‣  Fast publishing & ephemeral data

‣  With a click you can reach the world, and can be instantly researched

‣  Just as easy to delete 9

10 Screen capture by S. Malouf, on March 22, 2016 Tool used to locate Posts Geofeedia!

Social is Not Electronic Paper

‣  Software tools & automation used

‣  Ex: Buffer, Hootsuite, Sprout Social

‣  Posting to multiple accounts

‣  Encourage informality & “authenticity” that can backfire

‣  Chat platforms in the workplace – Slack, Campfire

‣  Clients should be told posts can be used in court…

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Original photo by John McKeon - Flickr: Hulk Hogan, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18875638. Modifications S. Malouf!

Hulk Hogan v. Gawker (Bollea v. Gawker)!

!$60 Million for Emotional

Distress!!

$55 Million for Economic Damages! $25.1 Million

for Punitive Damages!

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Poll Question #3

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What kinds of cases raise social media law concerns for you?

1.  Personal Injury!2.  Employment or Commercial Litigation!3.  Family Law!4.  Criminal Law!5.  Other!

Litigation First Steps 1.  How might social be relevant in each case

a.  Personal injury: extent of injury/emotional distress after an accident b.  Employment: Workplace environment/culture, substantive facts, identifying

witnesses c.  Family Law or Bankruptcy: proof of assets or employment d.  Criminal Law or Probation: motive, substantive facts, identifying witnesses

2.  Modify your process a.  Tweak forms – “All” can be a dirty word in social discovery requests b.  If possible, bill clients for form modification and other changes by explaining it is

an ounce of prevention c.  Assume a more iterative process in each case when planning

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Lit. Steps: Talk to the Client 1.  Due diligence searches on client

a.  Google search b.  Social search: LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter

2.  Ask your client a.  What platform is most popular with them, if any b.  Fake accounts – On Fake Instagram a Chance to Be Real, NYT, November, 15, 2015 c.  “Friends” or connected to witnesses, opposing parties, etc. d.  What types of data do they have: video, images, likes, etc.

3.  Privacy settings – A Good Second Impression: Legal Ethics and Making Public Social Media Private, NY Daily Record, February 2, 2015

4.  Explain how the opposition will use this information 15

Lit. Steps: Talk to the Court 1.  Due diligence on court

a.  Is your court or judge familiar with this kind of evidence & issues in discovery b.  Is he or she willing to control cost and efforts via early intervention c.  Check your local rules – NJ Standing Order on cell phone evidence

2.  Voir dire and juror social media – judicial concerns a.  Efficiency of voir dire b.  Juror privacy c.  Inducing juror Internet research d.  Parties seeking a second bite at the apple post-verdict e.  Fairness f.  Oracle v. Google, Google's Lawyers Agree Not to Google Jurors, The Recorder,

March 8, 2016 16

Poll Question #4

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What size businesses or not-for-profits do you serve?

1.  1-10 employees!2.  11-25 employees!3.  26-100 employees!4.  100-1,000 employees!5.  1,000+ employees!

Business  Social  Media  Concerns  

•  Takeaway  –  Free  account  ≠  problem  free      –  Empower  via  guidance  

 

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Business Social Media Concerns ‣  Copyright

‣  Many assume if it is on the web it can be used without restriction ‣  Often little instruction for account managers on legal issues

‣  Publicity Rights ‣  Defamation ‣  False Light or Invasion of Privacy Hulk Hogan v. Gawker ‣  FTC – Focused on social media

‣  Lord & Taylor Settles FTC Charges It Deceived Consumers Through Paid Article in an Online Fashion Magazine & Paid Instagram Posts by 50 “Fashion Influencers” FTC press release, March 15, 2016

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Employment Law Concerns ‣  Password Protection statutes (27 states have them, federal is

possible)

‣  National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) guidance on policies

‣  Wage & hour laws

‣  Bring Your Own Device Policies (BYOD)

‣  If a lost device has both employer & employee confidential & private data can you remotely wipe it?

‣  Data breach laws

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Business Client First Steps 1.  Ask

a.  Budget for it b.  What devices c.  When & where d.  What is a huge win e.  What is worst case, realistic

scenario 2.  Modify Client Process

a.  Cheap stock photos or partnerships that generate images

b.  Plan for stupid

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Headline: ESPN suspends Keith Olbermann over Penn State tweets!

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Scott L. Malouf, Esq. Law Office of Scott L. Malouf www.scottmalouf.com scott@scottmalouf.com 585.672.4922 @ScottMalouf www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaattorney

MyCase www.MyCase.com support@mycase.com 800-571-8062

Contact Us

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Thank You

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Links to Resources & Opinions

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NYSBA Commercial & Federal Litigation Section’s Social Media Ethics Guidelines NYSBA Commercial & Federal Litigation Section’s Social Media Jury Instructions Report

Considerations when researching or monitoring juror social media ABA Formal Op. 466 NYCBA Formal Op. 2012-2 NYCLA Formal Op. 743

Tweets directed to potential clients in shareholder suits are advertising & solicitation NYSBA Op. 1009 Advertising rules should apply to blogs that are part of attorney website or that make clear the author is available to represent clients California Bar Formal Op. INTERIM No. 12-0006

Links to Resources & Opinions

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Investigating non-party NH Bar Assoc. Advisory Op. 2012-13/05 Advising clients re settings, posts & “takedowns” of social media NYCLA Formal Op. 745 Philadelphia Bar Assoc. Op 2014-05 NC State Bar 2014 Formal Ethics Op. 5 Florida Bar Association Proposed Advisory Op. 14-1

Attorneys may access party “public” social media NYSBA Op. 843 LinkedIn LinkedIn profiles or endorsements may be “Advertisements” NYCLA 748 Specialties NYSBA Op. 972 (LinkedIn no longer offers a “Specialties” section)