According to a recent Kaplan PMBR Bar Review survey of third-year law school students*, nearly half (49%) report that they have seen something on someone’s Facebook page that could get the poster in trouble with the law. Surprisingly, 44% of that group said the alleged offender was a law school student or lawyer, begging the question: shouldn’t those who should know the law best know better?
On the plus side: 76% of survey respondents said that what they learned from their legal education has caused them to temper what they post on Facebook.
“The fact that nearly half have seen something illegal posted on Facebook doesn’t mean that we are a society of criminals. Illegal activity can mean minors drinking beer or someone smoking a Cuban cigar. But also given their stage of professional development, law students tend to be particularly aware of the finer points of the law, in the same way that medical students can sometimes be hypochondriacs,” said Steven Marietti, executive director of academic programs, Kaplan PMBR Bar Review. “Regardless, it’s smart to be cautious, since what you post on Facebook can potentially be held against you when coming before the bar or in court.”
Moreover, a 2010 Kaplan survey of law school admissions officers showed that nearly 20% had personally visited an applicant’s social networking site to help them evaluate that applicant – all the more reason for hyper-awareness.
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