Risks of advocates in case of using social media in professional activities

The widespread use of social media in the process of to providing qualified legal assistance by representatives of various legal professions, including advocates, on the one hand, improved citizens’ access to legal information and receiving qualified legal assistance, but on the other hand, it caused new risks. World practice is replete with examples when unethical and unprofessional behavior of advocates on social media was negatively reflected both in law practice and on clients. Having studied such examples, the author of the article formulates proposals aimed at minimizing the risks associated with the participation of lawyers in social media. These proposals are aimed at expanding the ability of advocates to use social media in professional activities, comprehensive protection of such communication, as well as the ability of clients to receive up-to-date legal information and, if necessary, qualified legal assistance. The author systematized and summarized Russian and Foreign sources on the problem of this article, used such research methods as analysis and synthesis, and also statistical and prognostic methods.