About

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“Socially Awkward” started as an effort to organize my notes on the quirky relationship between social media and attorney speech regulation.

Why this strange topic? Well, for over a decade I lived these issues day-in and day-out, while serving as Chief Legal Officer at Avvo – a company that publishes profiles, ratings, and reviews of nearly every lawyer in America. In going deep on the First Amendment issues at play, I discovered how regulation of lawyer speech – combined with the professional temperament of attorneys – serves to frustrate the ability of the legal industry to innovate and better serve the public.

Although I’ve moved on from Avvo, I’m still working with these issues. And I remain keenly interested in this area: what are the contours of professional speech regulation, and how does that regulation serve the public interest?

I regularly speak and write on issues relating to digital media, communications, and professional ethics. I have also been known to go on about bike commuting, politics, bourbon, and traveling. Don’t hesitate to reach out by email or connect via social media.

Josh King, Tucson AZ