While in law school, it's time to review your internet use.  Stories of lawyers having difficulties with their state bar ethics boards are increasingly based on behavior related to net use. 

Steve  was defending a wrongful-death case in 2006 when he had a bad idea. Steve, then a temporary attorney at a firm in St. Louis, e-mailed his friend a photograph of the overweight deceased, lying naked on an emergency room table; Steve included his own lewd and disparaging commentary.

His firm, which monitored work e-mails, turned him in to the state disciplinary counsel, and he was slapped with a 60-day suspension, stayed pending probation. Steve, who is still licensed to practice law, admits he made a "stupid" mistake. "I had my head up my butt," he said.

This information comes from an article by Tresa Baldas in the May 11, 2010 issue of The National Law Journal.

The article mentions several ethical problems faced by attorneys—all related to use of the internet.  In one instance, a prosecutor sought and received a weeklong continuance to attend a funeral.  The judge handling the case checked out the attorney’s Facebook page. The day of the funeral showed her drinking and riding motorcycles on the day of the “funeral.”  When the prosecutor returned to court, the judge called her on the less-than-funereal activities—and denied the prosecutor's request for another, month-long continuance.  Read the whole story here.