One or more presenters were selected from a call for papers.
Cyber-harassment has made its way to the legal academy, in part by way of the Auto-Admit debacle, implicating several law students, and in part by way of other similar situations. The resulting dialogue has raised legal issues related to ethics, gender equality, freedom of speech, and internet regulation and liability. Some legal scholars say that on-line attacks by law students, prospective law students, or lawyers, while noxious, constitute protected speech that should not be penalized. Others say that on-line attacks can raise sexual harassment or civil rights concerns given that the conduct often targets women. Still others say that outrageous on-line conduct by law students, prospective law students, or lawyers raises character and fitness concerns, particularly when the conduct is overtly racist or gendered.
Discussion about these issues is complicated by internet anonymity and evolving internet-related case law, and more questions are raised than are answered. Is it a problem when gender- or race-specific comments are made by law students, prospective law students, jurists, or lawyers on the internet? How, if at all, should law schools, bar examiners, or state disciplinary counsel respond to this sort of conduct? More generally and not specific to law students or lawyers, should cyber-harassment be addressed by legislation, litigation, regulation, or prosecution? How?