Israeli Ethics Committee Issues New Guidelines Restricting Lawyers’ TikTok Videos

The Israeli National Ethics Committee has released new guidelines for lawyers posting videos on social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. The directive aims to maintain the dignity of the legal profession by restricting content that includes dancing, songs, animations, loud music, and flashy effects, which are now deemed potentially unprofessional. These rules apply not only to new videos but also to existing ones already published online, requiring lawyers to remove any content that violates the standards.

The guidelines also specify dress code requirements, mandating that lawyers appear in professional attire such as legal robes or other appropriate clothing customary in legal work. Casual or revealing clothing, including swimwear or tank tops, is considered inappropriate. Additionally, the location of filming must be professional, such as a law office, studio, or another suitable setting, emphasizing that both the message and presentation environment are subject to scrutiny.

Lawyers are further instructed to avoid making promises about legal outcomes, such as guarantees of winning cases, and to refrain from excessive self-promotion in their videos. The new code of conduct is set to take effect within 45 days and is expected to lead to the removal of numerous existing videos that do not meet the updated ethical standards.