Naomi is a co-panelist on online harassment. You must be a member of one of the two organizations. Details about the event copied/pasted from the event link below. You can view that link here.
On February 22, 2022 LAMDA and WICCD will co-host this special panel, the first of its kind of which we are aware, entitled: “Targeted online harassment of lawyers: Balancing the Tension Between Professional Responsibility and Personal Safety”.
Many lawyers have experienced online harassment, but few have spoken out about it. As a result, there is not much guidance available for those of us who become targeted or stalked. Whether the targeted online harassment originates with a client, a colleague or a member of the public, whether the social media account responsible identifies the person or uses an “alt” – an anonymous account, the impact on the targeted lawyer can be severe and traumatic.
The combination of social isolation engendered by the pandemic, the increased use of social media and screen time, and escalating mental health issues exacerbated during this time, combine for a perfect storm that is fuelling online harassment and cyber-bullying. Women generally, and women who are lawyers or other professionals are disproportionately at risk.
These behaviours also present difficult and challenging ethical dilemmas as we wrestle with our potentially conflicting professional responsibilities while trying to ensure our personal health and safety.
At this important session we will hear the experiences of four lawyers who have been personally affected by targeted online harassment. We will also explore the professional obligations lawyers owe to their clients when they believe the client is the stalker / harasser, and options for addressing the situation. We will look at practical strategies the lawyer can employ to take some control over the situation. We will also talk about how to safe-guard your own mental health during these traumatic and stressful experiences.