In the digital age, every lawyer online is a public face of the profession, not just a private individual. Deputy Head of the Committee of the National Bar Association of Ukraine on Expert Support Yuriy Hryhorenko emphasized this in a new episode of the podcast ‘Expert Opinion’ by the National Bar Association of Ukraine.
According to the expert, social media has become a tool for professional positioning: lawyers talk about legal practice, share comments on legislative changes, interact with colleagues and clients. However, at the same time, responsibility for every word is increasing.
The rules of legal ethics clearly regulate a lawyer’s behavior on the Internet. Article 12 of the Rules of Professional Ethics requires a lawyer in all areas, including public and digital, to uphold respect for the profession. Article 57 emphasizes that participation in social media is permissible, but the information a lawyer posts or comments on should not harm the reputation of the legal profession.
As explained by Yuriy Hryhorenko, the following are unacceptable:
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disclosure of attorney-client privilege;
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inappropriate coverage of court cases;
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creating conflicts of interest;
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publicly disparaging colleagues or government bodies;
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inappropriate private content that contradicts the image of a lawyer.
Even unintentional violations can have serious consequences, up to losing one’s status. A lawyer is always perceived as a representative of the profession, regardless of the post format.
Y. Hryhorenko advises lawyers:
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to build a digital presence based on professionalism;
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to share useful information — analysis, explanations, practical examples (without breaching confidentiality);
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to avoid posts that may raise doubts about integrity or impartiality;
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to care about the visual quality, tone, and ethicality of the content.
Social media is an opportunity, but also a challenge. The legal profession maintains society’s trust. And every post is either a step towards strengthening it or a risk of losing it.