1. In an ongoing case? Don’t slag off your oppo/client/witness/Judge.

Doing this afterwards is also BAD.

(Read @stokenewington’s piece on GeekLawyer for the BSB’s take on this.)

2. Don’t discuss any case you’ve been involved in unless:

I) you anonymise it/make the details so delphic no one will be able to identify it

OR

II) obtain consent from those involved in it before you tweet about it.

3. Be careful about revealing your location when you think you have already been careful about anonymising your case.

Slagging off specific Court security & then your Judge means it’s easy to do the maths. Tweeting all of that under your own name & you’re done for.

4. That news story looks like it could make a juicy opinion tweet, but the case is ongoing….

Don’t do it!

5. That news story is a journalist’s case précis and won’t have all the details in it anyway.

6. Someone is always watching what you tweet.

Tweets can be deleted but screenshots can be cached.

7. Applying for pupillage/training contracts?

Your profile will be looked up (this includes Instagram & LinkedIn)

8. Being rude to anonymous accounts backfires when you then apply to them for work/work experience/appear opposite them in your next trial. Oops!

9. Doxxing. Just don’t do it.

10. NOW FOR SOME POSITIVITY!

Follow lots of other lawyers, particularly those in your own field.

Making contacts is an excellent use of Twitter.

11. Be supportive, promote, help (but don’t give legal advice.)

12. For every handful of bots, fraudsters and trolls, there are a hundred great people who you may soon come across in the real world.

13. Learn when to walk away from an argument/debate, even if the other person is SO SO WRONG AND NEEDS TELLING THAT THEY ARE WRONG IN GREAT DETAIL SO EVERYONE CAN SEE HOW RIGHT *YOU* ARE.

This post originally appeared as a thread on @CrimeGirl‘s Twitter account, which she has kindly allowed us to republish here.