Bar Matter No.

553

June 17, 1993

MAURICIO C. ULEP, petitioner, v. !"E LE#AL CLINIC, INC., re pon$ent. %a&t ' Petitioner pra( t)i Court *to or$er t)e re pon$ent to &ea e an$ $e i t +ro, i uin- a$verti e,ent i,i.ar to or o+ t)e a,e tenor a t)at o+ anne/e *A* an$ *B* 0o+ ai$ petition1 an$ to perpetua..( pro)i2it per on or entitie +ro, ,a3in- a$verti e,ent pertainin- to t)e e/er&i e o+ t)e .a4 pro+e ion ot)er t)an t)o e a..o4e$ 2( .a4.* Anne/ A 5ECRE! MARRIA#E6 P578.88 +or a va.i$ ,arria-e. In+o on 9I:ORCE. AB5ENCE. ANNULMEN!. :I5A. !"E P.ea e &a..' 5;1<8777 :i&toria B.$-., UN Ave., M.a. Anne/ B #UAM 9I:ORCE. 9ON PAR@IN5ON an Attorne( in #ua,, i -ivin- %REE BOO@5 on #ua, 9ivor&e t)rou-) !)e Le-a. C.ini& 2e-innin- Mon$a( to %ri$a( $urin- o++i&e )our . #ua, $ivor&e. Annu.,ent o+ Marria-e. I,,i-ration Pro2.e, , :i a E/t. AuotaBNon<Cuota Re . D 5pe&ia. RetireeE :i a. 9e&.aration o+ A2 en&e. Re,arria-e to %i.ipina %ian&ee . A$option. Inve t,ent in t)e P)i.. U5B%orei-n :i a +or %i.ipina 5pou eBC)i.$ren. Ca.. Marivi&. !"E 7% :i&toria B.$-. =;9 UN Ave., LE#AL Er,ita, Mani.a nr. U5 E,2a ( CLINIC, INC. 1 5;1<7;3;F 5;1<7;51F 5;;<;8=1F 5;1<8777 !e.. LE#AL 5;17;3;, 5;;;8=1 CLINIC, INC. >'38 a,? 7'88 p, 7<%.r.

It i t)e u2,i ion o+ petitioner t)at t)e a$verti e,ent a2ove repro$u&e$ are &)a,pterou , unet)i&a., $e,eanin- o+ t)e .a4 pro+e ion, an$ $e tru&tive o+ t)e &on+i$en&e o+ t)e &o,,unit( in t)e inte-rit( o+ t)e ,e,2er o+ t)e 2ar an$ t)at, a a ,e,2er o+ t)e .e-a. pro+e ion, )e i a )a,e$ an$ o++en$e$ 2( t)e ai$ a$verti e,ent , )en&e t)e re.ie+ ou-)t in )i petition a )erein2e+ore Cuote$. I ue' G)et)er or not it i i..e-a. +or !)e Le-a. C.ini&, In&. to a$verti e it ervi&e .

"e.$' It i ,ora..( an$ et)i&a. o2He&tiona2.e +or .a4(er to a$verti e t)eir ervi&e . Pra&ti&e o+ .a4 un$er ,o$ern &on$ition &on i t in no ,a.. part o+ 4or3 per+or,e$ out i$e o+ an( &ourt an$ )avin- no i,,e$iate re.ation to pro&ee$in- in &ourt. It e,2ra&e &onve(an&in-, t)e -ivin- o+ .e-a. a$vi&e on a .ar-e variet( o+ u2He&t an$ t)e preparation an$ e/e&ution o+ .e-a. in tru,ent &overin- an e/ten ive +ie.$ o+ 2u ine an$ tru t re.ation an$ ot)er a++air . A.t)ou-) t)e e tran a&tion ,a( )ave no $ire&t &onne&tion 4it) &ourt pro&ee$in- , t)e( are a.4a( u2He&t to 2e&o,e invo.ve$ in .iti-ation. !)e( reCuire in ,an( a pe&t a )i-) $e-ree o+ .e-a. 3i.., a 4i$e e/perien&e 4it) ,en an$ a++air , an$ -reat &apa&it( +or a$aptation to $i++i&u.t an$ &o,p.e/ ituation . !)e e &u to,ar( +un&tion o+ an attorne( or &oun e.or at .a4 2ear an inti,ate re.ation to t)e a$,ini tration o+ Hu ti&e 2( t)e &ourt . No va.i$ $i tin&tion, o +ar a &on&ern t)e Cue tion et +ort) in t)e or$er, &an 2e $ra4n 2et4een t)at part o+ t)e 4or3 o+ t)e .a4(er 4)i&) invo.ve appearan&e in &ourt an$ t)at part 4)i&) invo.ve a$vi&e an$ $ra+tin- o+ in tru,ent in )i o++i&e. It i o+ i,portan&e to t)e 4e.+are o+ t)e pu2.i& t)at t)e e ,ani+o.$ &u to,ar( +un&tion 2e per+or,e$ 2( per on po e e$ o+ a$eCuate .earnin- an$ 3i.., o+ oun$ ,ora. &)ara&ter, an$ a&tin- at a.. ti,e un$er t)e )eav( tru t o2.i-ation to &.ient 4)i&) re t upon a.. attorne( . 0Moran, Co,,ent on t)e Ru.e o Court, :o.. 3 I1973 e$.J. !)e &anon o+ t)e pro+e ion enu,erate e/&eption to t)e ru.e a-ain t a$verti in- or o.i&itation an$ $e+ine t)e e/tent to 4)i&) t)e( ,a( 2e un$erta3en. !)e e/&eption are o+ t4o 2roa$ &ate-orie , na,e.(, t)o e 4)i&) are e/pre .( a..o4e$ an$ t)o e 4)i&) are ne&e ari.( i,p.ie$ +ro, t)e re tri&tion . !)e +ir t o+ u&) e/&eption i t)e pu2.i&ation in reputa2.e .a4 .i t , in a ,anner &on i tent 4it) t)e tan$ar$ o+ &on$u&t i,po e$ 2( t)e &anon , o+ 2rie+ 2io-rap)i&a. an$ in+or,ative $ata. *5u&) $ata ,u t not 2e ,i .ea$in- an$ ,a( in&.u$e on.( a tate,ent o+ t)e .a4(erE na,e an$ t)e na,e o+ )i pro+e iona. a o&iate F a$$re e , te.ep)one nu,2er , &a2.e a$$re e F 2ran&)e o+ .a4 pra&ti&e$F $ate an$ p.a&e o+ 2irt) an$ a$,i ion to t)e 2arF &)oo. atten$e$ 4it) $ate o+ -ra$uation, $e-ree an$ ot)er e$u&ationa. $i tin&tionF pu2.i& or Cua i<pu2.i& o++i&e F po t o+ )onorF .e-a. aut)or )ip F .e-a. tea&)inpo ition F ,e,2er )ip an$ o++i&e in 2ar a o&iation an$ &o,,ittee t)ereo+, in .e-a. an$ &ienti+i& o&ietie an$ .e-a. +raternitie F t)e +a&t o+ .i tin- in ot)er reputa2.e .a4 .i t F t)e na,e an$ a$$re e o+ re+eren&e F an$, 4it) t)eir 4ritten &on ent, t)e na,e o+ &.ient re-u.ar.( repre ente$.* =; !)e .a4 .i t ,u t 2e a reputa2.e .a4 .i t pu2.i )e$ pri,ari.( +or t)at purpo eF it &annot 2e a ,ere upp.e,enta. +eature o+ a paper, ,a-aKine, tra$e Hourna. or perio$i&a. 4)i&) i pu2.i )e$ prin&ipa..( +or ot)er purpo e . %or t)at rea on, a .a4(er ,a( not proper.( pu2.i ) )i 2rie+ 2io-rap)i&a. an$ in+or,ative $ata in a $ai.( paper, ,a-aKine, tra$e Hourna. or o&iet( pro-ra,. Nor ,a( a .a4(er per,it )i na,e to 2e pu2.i )e$ in a .a4 .i t t)e &on$u&t, ,ana-e,ent or &ontent o+ 4)i&) are &a.&u.ate$ or .i3e.( to $e&eive or inHure t)e pu2.i& or t)e 2ar, or to .o4er t)e $i-nit( or tan$in- o+ t)e pro+e ion. =3 !)e u e o+ an or$inar( i,p.e pro+e iona. &ar$ i a. o per,itte$. !)e &ar$ ,a( &ontain on.( a tate,ent o+ )i na,e, t)e na,e o+ t)e .a4 +ir, 4)i&) )e i &onne&te$ 4it), a$$re , te.ep)one nu,2er an$ pe&ia. 2ran&) o+ .a4 pra&ti&e$. !)e pu2.i&ation o+ a i,p.e announ&e,ent o+ t)e openin- o+ a .a4 +ir, or o+ &)an-e in t)e partner )ip, a o&iate , +ir, na,e or o++i&e a$$re , 2ein- +or t)e &onvenien&e o+ t)e pro+e ion, i not o2He&tiona2.e. "e ,a( .i3e4i e )ave )i na,e .i te$ in a te.ep)one $ire&tor( 2ut not un$er a $e i-nation o+ pe&ia. 2ran&) o+ .a4. == :eri.(, ta3in- into &on i$eration t)e nature an$ &ontent o+ t)e a$verti e,ent +or 4)i&) re pon$ent i 2ein- ta3en to ta 3, 4)i&) even in&.u$e a Cuotation o+ t)e +ee &)ar-e$ 2( ai$ re pon$ent &orporation +or ervi&e ren$ere$, 4e

+in$ an$ o )o.$ t)at t)e a,e $e+inite.( $o not an$ &on&.u ive.( &annot +a.. un$er an( o+ t)e a2ove<,entione$ e/&eption . 5e&on$.(, it i our +ir, 2e.ie+ t)at 4it) t)e pre ent ituation o+ our .e-a. an$ Hu$i&ia. ( te, , to a..o4 t)e pu2.i&ation o+ a$verti e,ent o+ t)e 3in$ u e$ 2( re pon$ent 4ou.$ on.( erve to a--ravate 4)at i a.rea$( a $eterioratin- pu2.i& opinion o+ t)e .e-a. pro+e ion 4)o e inte-rit( )a &on i tent.( 2een un$er atta&3 .ate.( 2( ,e$ia an$ t)e &o,,unit( in -enera.. At t)i point in ti,e, it i o+ ut,o t i,portan&e in t)e +a&e o+ u&) ne-ative, even i+ un+air, &riti&i , at ti,e , to a$opt an$ ,aintain t)at .eve. o+ pro+e iona. &on$u&t 4)i&) i 2e(on$ reproa&), an$ to e/ert a.. e++ort to re-ain t)e )i-) e tee, +or,er.( a&&or$e$ to t)e .e-a. pro+e ion. In u,, it i un$ou2te$.( a ,i 2e)avior on t)e part o+ t)e .a4(er, u2He&t to $i &ip.inar( a&tion, to a$verti e )i ervi&e e/&ept in a..o4a2.e in tan&e or to ai$ a .a(,an in t)e unaut)oriKe$ pra&ti&e o+ .a4. Con i$erin- t)at Att(. Ro-e.io P. No-a.e , 4)o i t)e pri,e in&orporator, ,aHor to&3)o.$er an$ proprietor o+ !)e Le-a. C.ini&, In&. i a ,e,2er o+ t)e P)i.ippine Bar, )e i )ere2( repri,an$e$, 4it) a 4arnin- t)at a repetition o+ t)e a,e or i,i.ar a&t 4)i&) are invo.ve$ in t)i pro&ee$in- 4i.. 2e $ea.t 4it) ,ore evere.(.