How not to practice law: work on your computer out in public where anyone can read what you are doing

 Most states now adhere to the notion that the duty of competence includes an element of competence over the use of technology.  But there are lots of cases and stories out there involving lawyers making mistakes, getting cases dismissed, disclosing confidential information, and more because they don't seem to understand how to use technology.  So, here is the latest.

Here is a story of a lawyer working on an airplane in a way that another lawyer siting several seats away could "in a matter of seconds, and without really trying to," figure out the lawyer's specialty and "what her major upcoming deadlines were, her staffing needs for the next few months, and the fact that she was waiting for a particular federal appellate decision to guide her strategy in her case in the lower court."

To read the full story, go here.  

More importantly, try not to work in public, but if you must, try to do so in a way that protects the privacy of your work.