CANON 4
A lawyer shall PARTICIPATE in the Improvement of the
Legal System by Initiating or Supporting efforts in Law
Reform and in the Administration of Justice.
Examples: Presenting position papers or resolutions
for the introduction of pertinent bills in congress;
Petitions with the Supreme Court for the amendment of
the Rules of Court.
Improvement of the Legal System
- It is every lawyers duty to improve the legal system in
the country
- Through COLLECTIVE EFFORTS, lawyers can
contribute to the Enhancement of the System by:
1) PRESENTING Position Papers / Resolutions for the
Introduction of Pertinent Bills in the Congress
2) PETITIONS with the Supreme Court for the
Amendment of the Rules of Court or Introduction of
New Rules
3) PETITIONS with the IBP and other Forums which
have Any Relevant Influence to the System
o Lawyers associations may devise and
maintain programs of continuing legal
education throughout the country
4) CREATE Law Centers and Libraries for Legal
Research
5) Experienced legal practitioners and professors of law
may WRITE Legal Publications or Books as an
Avenue of Improving the Legal System
Lawyers who are members of Congress are in the
best position to take a close look at the system and
introduce bill for the improvement thereof
Others, who may NOT members of Congressmen and
urge them to initiate suggested law reform
CANON 5
A lawyer shall keep abreast of legal
developments, participate in continuing legal education
programs, support efforts to achieve high standards in law
schools as well as in the practical training of students and
assist in disseminating information regarding the law and
jurisprudence.
OBJECTIVES OF THE IBP
To elevate the standards of the legal profession
To improve the administration of justice
To enable the Bar to discharge its responsibility more
effectively.
The three-fold obligation of a lawyer
First, he owes it to himself to continue improving his
knowledge of the laws;
Second, he owes it to his profession to take an active
interest in the maintenance of high standards of legal
education;
Third, he owes it to the lay public to make the law a
part of their social consciousness.
MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
- To keep the lawyers, specially practicing lawyers,
abreast with the law and jurisprudence, continuing
legal education should be made MANDATORY by the
Supreme Court
- Bar Matter No. 850 implemented the MCLE
- Complete every 3 years at least 36 hours of
continuing legal education on specified subjects
- Some lawyers are exempted
o Justices of SC
o CA
o Sandiganbayan
o RTC Judges
o Law Deans
o Some law professors
o Members of Congress
CANON 6
These canons shall apply to lawyers in government
service in the discharge of their official tasks.
Public Officials include elective and appointive
officials and employees, permanent or temporary,
whether in the career or non-career service, including
military and police personnel, whether or not they
receive compensation, regardless of amount. (Sec. 3
(b), RA 6713).
The law requires the observance of the following
norms of conduct by every public official in the
discharge and execution of their official duties:
 1. Commitment to Public Interest Sec 3. Corrupt practice of Public Officers. In addition to acts
2. Professionalism or omission of public officers already penalized by existing law,
3. Justness and Sincerity the following shall constitute corrupt practice of any public
4. Political Neutrality officer and are hereby declared to be unlawful:
5. Responsiveness to the Public
6. Nationalism and Patriotism (d) accepting or having any member of his family accept
7. Commitment to Democracy employment in a private enterprise which has pending official
8. Simple Living (Sec. 4, RA 6713)
business with him during the pendency thereof or within one
year after termination.

Rule 6.01
The Primary Duty of a Lawyer engaged in public
prosecution is not to convict but to see that justice is
done. The suppression of facts or the concealment of
witnesses capable of establishing the innocence of the
Section 7 (b) of RA 6713 prohibits officials from doing any of
the following acts:
1. own, control, manage or accept employment as
officer, employee, consultant, counsel, broker, agent,

accused is highly reprehensible and is cause of trustee or nominee in any private enterprise regulated,
supervised or licensed by their office unless expressly
disciplinary action.
allowed by law.
- Primary Duty of a PROSECUTOR
o As a quasi-judicial officer
These prohibitions shall continue to apply for a period of one
o He should seek IMPARTIAL Justice
(1) year after resignation, retirement, or separation from public
o Must be concerned with seeing that no
office, except in the case of subparagraph (b) (2) above, but
innocent man suffers as in seeing that no
the professional concerned cannot practice his profession in
guilty man escapes
connection with any matter before the office he used to be
Rule 6.02
with, in which case the one year prohibition shall likewise
A lawyer in the government service shall not use
apply.
his public position to promote or advance his private
interest, nor allow the latter to interfere with his public Lawyers in the government service are prohibited to
duties. engage in the private practice of their profession unless
authorized by the constitution or law, provided that such
practice will not conflict or tend to conflict with their
Rule 6.03 official functions.
Misconduct in office as a public official may be a
A lawyer shall not, after leaving government service,
ground for disciplinary action (if of such character as to
accept engagements or employment in connection with
affect his qualification as lawyer or to show moral
any matter in which he had intervened while in said
delinquency).
service.
Should recommend the acquittal of the accused
Various ways a government lawyer leaves
whose conviction is on appeal, IF he finds no legal
government service:
basis to sustain the conviction.
1. retirement
Includes restriction is representing conflicting interest
2. resignation
(e.g. Accepting engagements vs. former employer,
3. expiration of the term of office
PNB)
4. dismissal
The OSG is not authorized to represent a public
5. abandonment
official at any state of a criminal case.

Q: What are the pertinent statutory provisions

regarding this Rule?
Chapter II
A: Sec. 3 (d) RA 3019 as amended and Sec. 7 (b), RA 6713 The Lawyer and the Legal Profession

CANON 7
A lawyer shall at all times uphold the integrity and
dignity of the legal profession, and support the activities
of the integrated bar.
Rule 7.01
A lawyer shall be answerable for knowingly
making false statements or suppressing a material fact, in
connection with his application for admission to the bar.
Rule 7.02
A lawyer shall not support application for
admission to the bar by any person known to him or be
unqualified in respect to character, education, or other
relevant attribute.
Rule 7.03
A lawyer shall not engage in conduct that
adversely reflects on his fitness to practice law, nor
should he, whether in public or private life, behave in a
scandalous manner to the discredit of the legal
profession.
Upright character; not mere absence of bad character.
A lawyer must at all times conduct himself properly as
not to put into question his fitness to practice law.
Avoid scandalous conduct; not only required to refrain
from adulterous relationships or the keeping of mistress
but must also behave himself as to avoid scandalizing
the public by creating the belief that he is flouting those
moral standards.
CANON 8
A lawyer shall conduct himself with courtesy,
fairness and candor towards his professional colleagues,
and shall avoid harassing tactics against opposing
counsel.
Rule 8.01
A lawyer shall not, in his professional dealings,
use language which is abusive, offensive or otherwise
improper.
Rule 8.02
A lawyer shall not, directly or indirectly, encroach upon
the professional employment of another lawyer; however,
it is the right of any lawyer without fear or favor, to give
proper advice and assistance to those seeking relief
against unfaithful or neglectful counsel.
It is the duty of a lawyer to inform the SC or the IBP of
such malpractice to the end that the malpractitioner be
properly disciplined.
Not to use in pleadings and in practice the following:
disrespectful, abusive and abrasive language, offensive
personalities, unfounded accusations or intemperate
words tending to obstruct, embarrass or influence the
court in administering justice.
Want of intention: not an excuse for the disrespectful
language used. It merely extenuates liability.
CANON 9
A lawyer shall not directly or indirectly assist in
the unauthorized practice of law.
Rule 9.01
A lawyer shall not delegate to any unqualified
person the performance of any task which by law may
only be performed by a member of the bar in good
standing.
Rule 9.02
A lawyer shall not divide or stipulate to divide a fee
for legal services with persons not licensed to practice
law, EXCEPT:
1. a. Where there is a pre-existing agreement,
with a partner or associate that , upon the latters
death, money shall be paid over a reasonable
period of time to his estate or to the persons
specified in the agreement; or
2. b. Where a lawyer undertakes to complete
unfinished legal business of a deceased lawyer; or
3. c. Where a lawyer or law firm includes non-
lawyer employees in a retirement plan, even if the
plan is based in whole or in part of a profit sharing
arrangements.
Lawyer shall not negotiate with the opposite party
who is represented by a counsel. Neither should
lawyer attempt to interview the opposite party and
question him as to the facts of the case even if the
adverse party is willing to do so.
Lawyer should deal only with counsel, even if theres
a fair agreement.
Lawyer may however interview any witness or
prospective witness for the opposing side. Limitation:
avoid influencing witness in recital and conduct.
 A lawyer must not take as partner or associate one A lawyer cannot delegate his authority without clients
who: consent even to a qualified person.
1. is not a lawyer
2. is disbarred
3. has been suspended from the practice of law
4. foreign lawyer, unless licensed by the SC.