On 11 March 2020 Elizabeth Devine presented a paper at a seminar conducted by Legalwise Seminars in Sydney on the topic of ‘The Not-So-Secret Lives of Public Servants: Ethical Implications’. Presenting to an audience of Federal and State government lawyers, Elizabeth examined the High Court’s decision in Comcare v Banerji (2019) and explained its implications for government lawyers and how it is emblematic of a longstanding tension between the rights and freedoms of an individual and their obligations as an employee; a tension which has found itself the subject of a modern twist with the emergence of social media in the past 10 years. Elizabeth outlined the legal and ethical framework in which government lawyers practice their profession and the history of litigation in this matter, discussed the decisions of each of the seven judges and the implications of the decision for government employees and also provided practical tips regarding how a government lawyer may reduce the risk of being in breach of their obligations.