(Editor’s Note: Allaa Tayeb, a 2022 graduate of Florida State University College of Law, was the winner of this year’s FSU Law Writing Competition, sponsored by the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism. Tayeb’s essay,  “Integrating Professionalism and Social Media in the Age of Lawyers that Grew Up With It,” was originally published in The Professional, a publication of The Florida Bar’s Center for Professionalism. )

Allaa Tayeb

Social media has transformed the way we view society over the last few decades. This emerging generation of law students entering the legal field grew up during this transformation. Social media websites like Facebook, Myspace, Tumblr, and Twitter were foundational to their upbringing and represent a virtual second home. This generation of law student is different from former generations because, for many, their existence is entwined with their social media presence. As such, separating personal and professional personas on social media is unrealistic and counter-intuitive to the progression of the legal profession.