A West Palm Beach attorney's career ended abruptly after the Florida Supreme Court ordered his disbarment last week due to inappropriate social media behavior. Malik Leigh, a founding partner at Watson Leigh and a Family and Circuit Civil Mediator, had been practicing law for over a decade. The decision follows a series of controversial online posts, some directed at the subjects of his lawsuits, raising concerns about legal professionals' conduct on social media.

According to the Sun Sentinel, Leigh's issues began in 2016 with a lawsuit against the Palm Beach County School District and two of its employees. Leigh posted on social media in anticipation of questioning a defendant about financial misconduct, but the posts became threatening. One post referenced a Jim Carrey character holding a tommy gun, which the court cited as problematic.

The Florida Supreme Court emphasized the need for a protective order, which was initially put in place by the federal court due to Leigh's threatening posts. These actions were seen as raising serious safety risks for all parties involved in the litigation, as noted by CBS12.

Despite prior court orders, Leigh persisted with his behavior, leading the Florida Bar to uncover 24 violations of professional conduct in 2023. The Supreme Court's decision to disbar him emphasized his disregard for the courts, the parties involved, and the legal system as a whole, as reported by the Sun Sentinel. In response, Leigh claimed that the charges were retaliatory, stating that the allegations were baseless and could be disproven by examining the record.