{"id":31162,"date":"2025-01-15T13:30:07","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T18:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/?p=1079846"},"modified":"2025-01-15T13:30:07","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T18:30:07","slug":"facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook Lawyer Ditches Client As Company Embraces Bigotry For Fun & Profit"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Facebook

(Photo by Sean Gallup\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Intellectual property expert Mark Lemley is done working for Facebook. The Stanford Law professor represented Facebook in the copyright case brought on behalf of creators claiming the social media giant infringed their IP while training its large language model, in a case that could have profound implications for generative AI’s future prospects. And while Lemley still hopes Facebook prevails on principle, he’s done associating himself with the company’s “descent into toxic masculinity and Neo-Nazi madness.”<\/p>\n

And he made this announcement on Facebook.<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

And by descent into Neo-Nazi madness, we’re talking about policies like these leaked to The Intercept<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Overall the restrictions on claims of ethnic or religious supremacy has been eased significantly. The document explains that Meta now allows \u201cstatements of superiority as long as the statements do not refer to inferiority of another [protected characteristic] group (a) on the basis of inherent intellectual ability and (b) without support.\u201d Allowable statements under this rule include \u201cLatinos are the best!\u201d and \u201cBlack people are superior to all others.\u201d Also now acceptable are comparative claims such as \u201cBlack people are more violent than Whites,\u201d \u201cMexicans are lazier than Asians,\u201d and \u201cJews are flat out greedier than Christians.\u201d Off-limits, only because it pertains to intellectual ability, is the example \u201cWhite people are more intelligent than black people.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There’s a certain irony in the fact that this<\/em> policy has cost Facebook its lawyer in a case against comedian Sarah Silverman, who famously\/infamously had a routine lampooning the idea that proclaiming love for an ethnic group is the same as denigrating that group.<\/p>\n

A sanctimonious segment of the legal profession harps on the idea that “everyone is entitled an attorney.” Except no one is entitled to you<\/em> as an attorney. Frankly, no one is entitled to anything in a civil case and to the extent society needs to extend more protections to indigent clients on the wrong end of life-altering civil actions — landlord-tenant cases for instance — there’s definitely no such entitlement for a multibillion-dollar company in a copyright dispute.<\/p>\n

Representing a client is a business decision. Some lawyers thrive as counsel of last resort and model their business around the willingness to represent unpopular clients. Other lawyers build their business on crusading for good causes. A whole lot of lawyers exist somewhere between those poles. In fact, a lot of deep-pocketed clients also don’t want to work with firms associated with unpopular causes<\/a> — that’s a business decision too.<\/p>\n

There’s nothing wrong with any of these approaches. Lawyers should feel free to build their practice however they want.<\/p>\n

Lemley isn’t trying to be a Hollywood criminal law fixer, he’s an intellectual property lawyer. He doesn’t need to build an artificial firewall between his moral convictions and some abstract legal principle. He can choose to lend his skills to clients that reflect his values.<\/p>\n

And Facebook doesn’t at this point.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Headshot\"Joe Patrice<\/a>\u00a0is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. Feel free to\u00a0email<\/a> any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0or Bluesky<\/a> if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mark Lemley announced decision on Facebook for maximum effect.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":147,"featured_media":628373,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[471,304,11659,1549,7],"class_list":["post-31162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-facebook","tag-legal-ethics","tag-mark-lemley","tag-stanford-law-school","tag-technology"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFacebook Lawyer Ditches Client As Company Embraces Bigotry For Fun & Profit - Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Facebook Lawyer Ditches Client As Company Embraces Bigotry For Fun & Profit - Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Mark Lemley announced decision on Facebook for maximum effect.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-15T18:30:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joe Patrice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joe Patrice\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/\",\"name\":\"Facebook Lawyer Ditches Client As Company Embraces Bigotry For Fun & Profit - Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-15T18:30:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-15T18:30:07+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#\/schema\/person\/79d334169706fb219ff99177283474ad\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Facebook Lawyer Ditches Client As Company Embraces Bigotry For Fun & Profit\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/\",\"name\":\"Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event\",\"description\":\"A Legal Tech Adoption Guide For Perplexed Lawyers\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#\/schema\/person\/79d334169706fb219ff99177283474ad\",\"name\":\"Joe Patrice\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/39725f4befa491dfd9b10a60abee0488ed3cd456e04382c0ba7a6af9b0acd30b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/39725f4befa491dfd9b10a60abee0488ed3cd456e04382c0ba7a6af9b0acd30b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Joe Patrice\"},\"description\":\"Joe Patrice joined Above the Law in 2013. Joe received a degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Oregon and a J.D. from the NYU School of Law. From 2001, he worked as a litigator for both Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and Lankler Siffert & Wohl, representing a variety of individuals, institutions, and foreign sovereigns in criminal and civil matters. Joe left legal practice in 2012 to pursue writing, contributing to numerous publications, including ATL, before joining the full-time staff.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/author\/joe-patrice\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Facebook Lawyer Ditches Client As Company Embraces Bigotry For Fun & Profit - Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Facebook Lawyer Ditches Client As Company Embraces Bigotry For Fun & Profit - Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event","og_description":"Mark Lemley announced decision on Facebook for maximum effect.","og_url":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/","og_site_name":"Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event","article_published_time":"2025-01-15T18:30:07+00:00","author":"Joe Patrice","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joe Patrice","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/","url":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/","name":"Facebook Lawyer Ditches Client As Company Embraces Bigotry For Fun & Profit - Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"","datePublished":"2025-01-15T18:30:07+00:00","dateModified":"2025-01-15T18:30:07+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#\/schema\/person\/79d334169706fb219ff99177283474ad"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#primaryimage","url":"","contentUrl":""},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/2025\/01\/15\/facebook-lawyer-ditches-client-as-company-embraces-bigotry-for-fun-profit\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Facebook Lawyer Ditches Client As Company Embraces Bigotry For Fun & Profit"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#website","url":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/","name":"Above The Law's Legal Tech Non-Event","description":"A Legal Tech Adoption Guide For Perplexed Lawyers","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#\/schema\/person\/79d334169706fb219ff99177283474ad","name":"Joe Patrice","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/39725f4befa491dfd9b10a60abee0488ed3cd456e04382c0ba7a6af9b0acd30b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/39725f4befa491dfd9b10a60abee0488ed3cd456e04382c0ba7a6af9b0acd30b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Joe Patrice"},"description":"Joe Patrice joined Above the Law in 2013. Joe received a degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Oregon and a J.D. from the NYU School of Law. From 2001, he worked as a litigator for both Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and Lankler Siffert & Wohl, representing a variety of individuals, institutions, and foreign sovereigns in criminal and civil matters. Joe left legal practice in 2012 to pursue writing, contributing to numerous publications, including ATL, before joining the full-time staff.","url":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/author\/joe-patrice\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/147"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31162"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31162\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/legal-innovation-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}