Justice John G. Browning[Courtesy Photo.]

This week’s episode considers why lawyers and judges might be misbehaving on social media in recent years. Law.com reporter Allison Dunn spoke to John Browning, of Spencer Fane in Plano, Texas, and co-author of a book titled “Legal Ethics and Social Media.” Browning and Miami School of Law professor Jan Jacobowitz are working on the second edition of the book to respond to how social media use and its impact on the legal profession has evolved since the book came out in 2017.

In the last couple years, Browning said the pandemic has spawned an increase in incidents of incivility and social media faux pas from lawyers and judges. From commenting on today’s politically charged climate, sharing how to legally get away with murder and calling clients idiots, Browning is seeing breaches of some of the most sacrosanct ethical obligations all play out on social media.