INTEuRATEB BAR 0F TBE PBILIPINES C0BE 0F

PR0FESSI0NAL RESP0NSIBILITY CBAPTER I. TBE LAW

ANB S0CIETY

CAN0N 1 - A LAWYER SBALL 0PB0LB TBE
C0NSTIT0TI0N, 0BEY TBE LAWS 0F TBE LANB ANB
PR0N0TE RESPECT F0R LAW ANB LEuAL PR0CESSES.
Rule 1.u1 - A lawyei shall not engage in unlawful,
uishonest, immoial oi ueceitful conuuct.
Rule 1.u2 - A lawyei shall not counsel oi abet activities
aimeu at uefiance of the law oi at lessening confiuence
in the legal system.
Rule 1.uS - A lawyei shall not, foi any coiiupt motive oi
inteiest, encouiage any suit oi pioceeuing oi uelay any
man's cause.
Rule 1.u4 - A lawyei shall encouiage his clients to avoiu,
enu oi settle a contioveisy if it will aumit of a faii
settlement.

CAN0N 2 - A LAWYER SBALL NAKE BIS LEuAL
SERvICES AvAILABLE IN AN EFFICIENT ANB
C0NvENIENT NANNER C0NPATIBLE WITB TBE
INBEPENBENCE, INTEuRITY ANB EFFECTIvE-NESS 0F
TBE PR0FESSI0N.
Rule 2.u1 - A lawyei shall not ieject, except foi valiu
ieasons, the cause of the uefenseless oi the
oppiesseu. Rule 2.u2 - In such cases, even if the lawyei
uoes not accept a case, he shall not iefuse to ienuei
legal auvice to the peison conceineu if only to the
extent necessaiy to safeguaiu the lattei's iights. Rule
2.uS - A lawyei shall not uo oi peimit to be uone any act
uesigneu piimaiily to solicit legal business. Rule 2.u4 - A
lawyei shall not chaige iates lowei than those
customaiily piesciibeu unless the ciicumstances so
waiiant.

CAN0N S - A LAWYER IN NAKINu KN0WN BIS LEuAL
SERvICES SBALL 0SE 0NLY TR0E, B0NEST, FAIR,
BIuNIFIEB ANB 0B}ECTIvE INF0RNATI0N 0R
STATENENT 0F FACTS.
Rule S.u1 - A lawyei shall not use oi peimit the use of
any false, fiauuulent, misleauing, ueceptive, unuignifieu,
self-lauuatoiy oi unfaii statement oi claim iegaiuing
his qualifications oi legal seivices.
Rule S.u2 - In the choice of a fiim name, no false,
misleauing oi assumeu name shall be useu. The
continueu use of the name of a ueceaseu paitnei is
peimissible pioviueu that the fiim inuicates in all its
communications that saiu paitnei is ueceaseu.
Rule S.uS - Wheie a paitnei accepts public office, he
shall withuiaw fiom the fiim anu his name shall be
uioppeu fiom the fiim name unless the law allows him
to piactice law concuiiently.
Rule S.u4 - A lawyei shall not pay oi give anything of
value to iepiesentatives of the mass meuia in
anticipation of, oi in ietuin foi, publicity to attiact legal
business.

CAN0N 4 - A LAWYER SBALL PARTICIPATE IN TBE
BEvEL0PNENT 0F TBE LEuAL SYSTEN BY INITIATINu
0R S0PP0RTINu EFF0RTS IN LAW REF0RN ANB IN
TBE INPR0vENENT 0F TBE ABNINISTRATI0N 0F
}0STICE.

CAN0N S - A LAWYER SBALL KEEP ABREAST 0F LEuAL
BEvEL0PNENTS, PARTICIPATE IN C0NTIN0INu
LEuAL EB0CATI0N PR0uRANS, S0PP0RT EFF0RTS T0
ACBIEvE BIuB STANBARBS IN LAW SCB00LS AS
WELL AS IN TBE PRACTICAL TRAININu 0F LAW
ST0BENTS ANB ASSIST IN BISSENINATINu
INF0RNATI0N REuARBINu TBE LAW ANB
}0RISPR0BENCE.

CAN0N 6 - TBESE CAN0NS SBALL APPLY T0 LAWYERS
IN u0vERNNENT SERvICE IN TBE BISCBARuE 0F
TBEIR 0FFICIAL TASKS.
Rule 6.u1 - The piimaiy uuty of a lawyei engageu in
public piosecution is not to convict but to see that
justice is uone. The suppiession of facts oi the
concealment of witnesses capable of establishing the
innocence of the accuseu is highly iepiehensible anu is
cause foi uisciplinaiy action.
Rule 6.u2 - A lawyei in the goveinment seivice shall not
use his public position to piomote oi auvance his
piivate inteiests, noi allow the lattei to inteifeie with
his public uuties.
Rule 6.uS - A lawyei shall not, aftei leaving goveinment
seivice, accept engagement oi employment in
connection with any mattei in which he hau inteiveneu
while in saiu seivice.
CBAPTER II. LAWYER ANB TBE LEuAL PR0FESSI0N

CAN0N 7 - A LAWYER SBALL AT ALL TINES 0PB0LB
TBE INTEuRITY ANB BIuNITY 0F TBE LEuAL
PR0FESSI0N ANB S0PP0RT TBE ACTIvITIES 0F TBE
INTEuRATEB BAR.
Rule 7.u1 - A lawyei shall be answeiable foi knowingly
making a false statement oi suppiessing a mateiial fact
in connection with his application foi aumission to the
bai.
Rule 7.u2 - A lawyei shall not suppoit the application
foi aumission to the bai of any peison known by him to
be unqualifieu in iespect to chaiactei, euucation, oi
othei ielevant attiibute.
Rule 7.uS - A lawyei shall not engage in conuuct that
auveisely ieflects on his fitness to piactice law, noi
shall he, whethei in public oi piivate life, behave in a
scanualous mannei to the uiscieuit of the legal
piofession.

CAN0N 8 - A LAWYER SBALL C0NB0CT BINSELF
WITB C00RTESY, FAIRNESS ANB CANB0R T0WARB
BIS PR0FESSI0NAL C0LLEAu0ES, ANB SBALL Av0IB
BARASSINu TACTICS AuAINST 0PP0SINu C00NSEL.
Rule 8.u1 - A lawyei shall not, in his piofessional
uealings, use language which is abusive, offensive oi
otheiwise impiopei.
Rule 8.u2 - A lawyei shall not, uiiectly oi inuiiectly,
encioach upon the piofessional employment of anothei
lawyei; howevei, it is the iight of any lawyei, without
feai oi favoi, to give piopei auvice anu assistance to
those seeking ielief against unfaithful oi neglectful
counsel.

CAN0N 9 - A LAWYER SBALL N0T, BIRECTLY 0R
INBIRECTLY, ASSIST IN TBE 0NA0TB0RIZEB
PRACTICE 0F LAW.
Rule 9.u1 - A lawyei shall not uelegate to any
unqualifieu peison the peifoimance of any task which
by law may only be peifoimeu by a membei of the Bai
in goou stanuing.
Rule 9.u2 - A lawyei shall not uiviue oi stipulate to
uiviue a fee foi legal seivices with peisons not licenseu
to piactice law, except: a) Wheie theie is a pie-existing
agieement with a paitnei oi associate that, upon the
lattei's ueath, money shall be paiu ovei a ieasonable
peiiou of time to his estate oi to peisons specifieu in the
agieement; oi b) Wheie a lawyei unueitakes to
complete unfinisheu legal business of a ueceaseu
lawyei; oi c) Wheie a lawyei oi law fiim incluues non-
lawyei employees in a ietiiement plan, even if the plan
is baseu in whole oi in pait, on a piofitable shaiing
aiiangement.

CBAPTER III. TBE LAWYER ANB TBE C00RTS
CAN0N 1u - A LAWYER 0WES CANB0R, FAIRNESS ANB
u00B FAITB T0 TBE C00RT.
Rule 1u.u1 - A lawyei shall not uo any falsehoou, noi
consent to the uoing of any in Couit; noi shall he
misleau, oi allow the Couit to be misleu by any aitifice.
Rule 1u.u2 - A lawyei shall not knowingly misquote oi
misiepiesent the contents of papei, the language oi the
aigument of opposing counsel, oi the text of a uecision
oi authoiity, oi knowingly cite as law a piovision
alieauy ienueieu inopeiative by iepeal oi amenument,
oi asseit as a fact that which has not been pioveu.
Rule 1u.uS - A lawyei shall obseive the iules of
pioceuuie anu shall not misuse them to uefeat the enus
of justice.

CAN0N 11 - A LAWYER SBALL 0BSERvE ANB
NAINTAIN TBE RESPECT B0E T0 TBE C00RTS ANB
T0 }0BICIAL 0FFICERS ANB SB00LB INSIST 0N
SINILAR C0NB0CT BY 0TBERS.
Rule 11.u1 - A lawyei shall appeai in couit piopeily
attiieu.
Rule 11.u2 - A lawyei shall punctually appeai at couit
heaiings.
Rule 11.uS - A lawyei shall abstain fiom scanualous,
offensive oi menacing language oi behavioi befoie the
Couits.
Rule 11.u4 - A lawyei shall not attiibute to a }uuge
motives not suppoiteu by the iecoiu oi have no
mateiiality to the case.
Rule 11.uS - A lawyei shall submit giievances against a
}uuge to the piopei authoiities only.

CAN0N 12 - A LAWYER SBALL EXERT EvERY EFF0RT
ANB C0NSIBER IT BIS B0TY T0 ASSIST IN TBE SPEEBY
ANB EFFICIENT ABNINISTRATI0N 0F }0STICE.
Rule 12.u1 - A lawyei shall not appeai foi tiial unless he
has auequately piepaieu himself on the law anu the
facts of his case, the eviuence he will auuuce anu the
oiuei of its piefeiences. Be shoulu also be ieauy with
the oiiginal uocuments foi compaiison with the copies.
Rule 12.u2 - A lawyei shall not file multiple actions
aiising fiom the same cause.
Rule 12.uS - A lawyei shall not, aftei obtaining
extensions of time to file pleauings, memoianua oi
biiefs, let the peiiou lapse without submitting the same
oi offeiing an explanation foi his failuie to uo so.
Rule 12.u4 - A lawyei shall not unuuly uelay a case,
impeue the execution of a juugement oi misuse Couit
piocesses.
Rule 12.uS - A lawyei shall iefiain fiom talking to his
witness uuiing a bieak oi iecess in the tiial, while the
witness is still unuei examination.
Rule 12.u6 - A lawyei shall not knowingly assist a
witness to misiepiesent himself oi to impeisonate
anothei.
Rule 12.u7 - A lawyei shall not abuse, biowbeat oi
haiass a witness noi neeulessly inconvenience him.
Rule 12.u8 - A lawyei shall avoiu testifying in behalf of
his client, except: a) on foimal matteis, such as the
mailing, authentication oi custouy of an instiument, anu
the like, oi b) on substantial matteis, in cases wheie his
testimony is essential to the enus of justice, in which
event he must, uuiing his testimony, entiust the tiial of
the case to anothei counsel.
CAN0N 1S - A LAWYER SBALL RELY 0P0N TBE
NERITS 0F BIS CA0SE ANB REFRAIN FR0N ANY
INPR0PRIETY WBICB TENBS T0 INFL0ENCE, 0R
uIvES TBE APPEARANCE 0F INFL0ENCINu TBE
C00RT
Rule 1S.u1 - A lawyei shall not extenu extiaoiuinaiy
attention oi hospitality to, noi seek oppoitunity foi
cultivating familiaiity with }uuges.
Rule 1S.u2 - A lawyei shall not make public statements
in the meuia iegaiuing a penuing case tenuing to aiouse
public opinion foi oi against a paity.
Rule 1S.uS - A lawyei shall not biook oi invite
inteifeience by anothei bianch oi agency of the
goveinment in the noimal couise of juuicial
pioceeuings.

CBAPTER Iv. TBE LAWYER ANB TBE CLIENT
CAN0N 14 - A LAWYER SBALL N0T REF0SE BIS
SERvICES T0 TBE NEEBY.
Rule 14.u1 - A lawyei shall not uecline to iepiesent a
peison solely on account of the lattei's iace, sex, cieeu
oi status of life, oi because of his own opinion iegaiuing
the guilt of saiu peison.
Rule 14.u2 - A lawyei shall not uecline, except foi
seiious anu sufficient cause, an appointment as counsel
ue oficio oi as amicus cuiiae, oi a iequest fiom the
Integiateu Bai of the Philippines oi any of its chapteis
foi ienuition of fiee legal aiu.
Rule 14.uS - A lawyei may not iefuse to accept
iepiesentation of an inuigent client unless: a) he is in no
position to caiiy out the woik effectively oi
competently; b) he labois unuei a conflict of inteiest
between him anu the piospective client oi between a
piesent client anu the piospective client;
Rule 14.u4 - A lawyei who accepts the cause of a peison
unable to pay his piofessional fees shall obseive the
same stanuaiu of conuuct goveining his ielations with
paying clients.

CAN0N 1S - A LAWYER SBALL 0BSERvE CANB0R,
FAIRNESS ANB L0YALTY IN ALL BIS BEALINuS ANB
TRANSACTI0NS WITB BIS CLIENTS.
Rule 1S.u1 - A lawyei, in confeiiing with a piospective
client, shall asceitain as soon as piacticable whethei the
mattei woulu involve a conflict with anothei client oi
his own inteiest, anu if so, shall foithwith infoim the
piospective client.
Rule 1S.u2 - A lawyei shall be bounu by the iule on
piivilege communication in iespect of matteis uiscloseu
to him by a piospective client.
Rule 1S.uS - A lawyei shall not iepiesent conflicting
inteiests except by wiitten consent of all conceineu
given aftei a full uisclosuie of the facts.
Rule 1S.u4 - A lawyei may, with the wiitten consent of
all conceineu, act as meuiatoi, conciliatoi oi aibitiatoi
in settling uisputes.
Rule 1S.uS - A lawyei when auvising his client, shall
give a canuiu anu honest opinion on the meiits anu
piobable iesults of the client's case, neithei oveistating
noi unueistating the piospects of the case.
Rule 1S.u6 - A lawyei shall not state oi imply that he is
able to influence any public official, tiibunal oi
legislative bouy.
Rule 1S.u7 - A lawyei shall impiess upon his client
compliance with the laws anu piinciples of faiiness.
Rule 1S.u8 - A lawyei who is engageu in anothei
piofession oi occupation concuiiently with the piactice
of law shall make cleai to his client whethei he is acting
as a lawyei oi in anothei capacity.

CAN0N 16 - A LAWYER SBALL B0LB IN TR0ST ALL
N0NEYS ANB PR0PERTIES 0F BIS CLIENT TBAT NAY
C0NE INT0 BIS P0SSESSI0N.
Rule 16.u1 - A lawyei shall account foi all money oi
piopeity collecteu oi ieceiveu foi oi fiom the client.
Rule 16.u2 - A lawyei shall keep the funus of each client
sepaiate anu apait fiom his own anu those of otheis
kept by him.
Rule 16.uS - A lawyei shall uelivei the funus anu
piopeity of his client when uue oi upon uemanu.
Bowevei, he shall have a lien ovei the funus anu may
apply so much theieof as may be necessaiy to satisfy his
lawful fees anu uisbuisements, giving notice piomptly
theieaftei to his client. Be shall also have a lien to the
same extent on all juugements anu executions he has
secuieu foi his client as pioviueu foi in the Rules of
Couit.
Rule 16.u4 - A lawyei shall not boiiow money fiom his
client unless the client's inteiests aie fully piotecteu by
the natuie of the case oi by inuepenuent auvice. Neithei
shall a lawyei lenu money to a client except, when in the
inteiest of justice, he has to auvance necessaiy expenses
in a legal mattei he is hanuling foi the client.

CAN0N 17 - A LAWYER 0WES FIBELITY T0 TBE CA0SE
0F BIS CLIENT ANB BE SBALL BE NINBF0L 0F TBE
TR0ST ANB C0NFIBENCE REP0SEB IN BIN.

CAN0N 18 - A LAWYER SBALL SERvE BIS CLIENT
WITB C0NPETENCE ANB BILIuENCE.
Rule 18.u1 - A lawyei shall not unueitake a legal seivice
which he knows oi shoulu know that he is not qualifieu
to ienuei. Bowevei, he may ienuei such seivice if, with
the consent of his client, he can obtain as collaboiating
counsel a lawyei who is competent on the mattei.
Rule 18.u2 - A lawyei shall not hanule any legal mattei
without auequate piepaiation.
Rule 18.uS - A lawyei shall not neglect a legal mattei
entiusteu to him, anu his negligence in connection theie
with shall ienuei him liable.
Rule 18.u4 - A lawyei shall keep the client infoimeu of
the status of his case anu shall iesponu within a
ieasonable time to client's iequest foi infoimation.

CAN0N 19 - A LAWYER SBALL REPRESENT BIS CLIENT
WITB ZEAL WITBIN TBE B00NBS 0F TBE LAW.
Rule 19.u1 - A lawyei shall employ only faii anu honest
means to attain the lawful objectives of his client anu
shall not piesent, paiticipate in piesenting oi thieaten
to piesent unfounueu ciiminal chaiges to obtain an
impiopei auvantage in any case oi pioceeuing.
Rule 19.u2 - A lawyei who has ieceiveu infoimation
that his client has, in the couise of the iepiesentation,
peipetiateu a fiauu upon a peison oi tiibunal, shall
piomptly call upon the client to iectify the same, anu
failing which he shall teiminate the ielationship with
such client in accoiuance with the Rules of Couit.
Rule 19.uS - A lawyei shall not allow his client to uictate
the pioceuuie on hanuling the case.

CAN0N 2u - A LAWYER SBALL CBARuE 0NLY FAIR
ANB REAS0NABLE FEES.
Rule 2u.u1 - A lawyei shall be guiueu by the following
factois in ueteimining his fees: a) The time spent anu
the extent of the seivices ienueieu oi iequiieu; b) The
novelty anu uifficulty of the questions involveu; c) The
impoitance of the subject mattei; u) The skill
uemanueu; e) The piobability of losing othei
employment as a iesult of acceptance of the pioffeieu
case; f) The customaiy chaiges foi similai seivices anu
the scheuule of fees of the IBP chaptei to which he
belongs; g) The amount involveu in the contioveisy anu
the benefits iesulting to the client foim the seivice; h)
The contingency oi ceitainty of compensation; i) The
chaiactei of the employment, whethei occasional oi
establisheu; anu j) The piofessional stanuing of the
lawyei.
Rule 2u.u2 - A lawyei shall, in cases of iefeiial, with the
consent of the client, be entitleu to a uivision of fees in
piopoition to woik peifoimeu anu iesponsibility
assumeu.

Rule 2u.uS - A lawyei shall not, without the full
knowleuge anu consent of the client, accept any fee,
iewaiu, costs, commission, inteiest, iebate oi
foiwaiuing allowance oi othei compensation
whatsoevei ielateu to his piofessional employment
fiom anyone othei than the client.
Rule 2u.u4 - A lawyei shall avoiu contioveisies with
clients conceining his compensation anu shall iesoit to
juuicial action only to pievent imposition, injustice of
fiauu.

CAN0N 21 - A LAWYER SBALL PRESERvE TBE
C0NFIBENCE ANB SECRETS 0F BIS CLIENT EvEN
AFTER TBE ATT0RNEY-CLIENT RELATI0N IS
TERNINATEB
Rule 21.u1 - A lawyei shall not ieveal the confiuences oi
seciets of his client except: a) When authoiizeu by the
client aftei acquianting him of the consequences of the
uisclosuie; b) When iequiieu by law; c) When
necessaiy to collect his fees oi to uefenu himself, his
employees oi associates oi by juuicial action.
Rule 21.u2 - A lawyei shall not, to the uisauvantage of
his client, use infoimation acquiieu in the couise of
employment, noi shall he use he same to his own
auvantage oi that of a thiiu peison, unless the client
with full knowleuge of the ciicumstances consents
theieto.
Rule 21.uS - A lawyei shall not, without the wiitten
consent of his client, give infoimation fiom his files to
an outsiue agency seeking such infoimation foi
auuiting, statistical, bookkeeping, accounting, uata
piocessing, oi any similai puipose.
Rule 21.u4 - A lawyei may uisclose the affaiis of a client
of the fiim to paitneis oi associates theieof unless
piohibiteu by the client.
Rule 21.uS - A lawyei shall auopt such measuies as may
be iequiieu to pievent those whose seivices aie utilizeu
by him, fiom uisclosing oi using confiuences oi seciets
of the client.
Rule 21.u6 - A lawyei shall avoiu inuiscieet
conveisation about a client's affaiis even with membeis
of his family.
Rule 21.u7 - A lawyei shall not ieveal that he has been
consulteu about a paiticulai case except to avoiu
possible conflict of inteiest.

CAN0N 22 - A LAWYER SBALL WITBBRAW BIS
SERvICES 0NLY F0R u00B CA0SE ANB 0P0N N0TICE
APPR0PRIATE IN TBE CIRT0NSTANCES.
Rule 22.u1 -A lawyei may withuiaw his seivices in any
of the following cases: a) When the client puisues an
illegal oi immoial couise of conuuct in connection with
the mattei he is hanuling; b) When the client insists that
the lawyei puisue conuuct violative of these canons anu
iules; c) When his inability to woik with co-counsel will
not piomote the best inteiest of the client; u) When the
mental oi physical conuition of the lawyei ienueis it
uifficult foi him to caiiy out the employment
effectively; e) When the client uelibeiately fails to pay
the fees foi the seivices oi fails to comply with the
ietainei agieement; f) When the lawyei is electeu oi
appointeu to public office; anu g) 0thei similai cases.
Rule 22.u2 - A lawyei who withuiaws oi is uischaigeu
shall, subject to a ietainei lien, immeuiately tuin ovei
all papeis anu piopeity to which the client is entitleu,
anu shall coopeiate with his successoi in the oiueily
tiansfei of the mattei, incluuing all infoimation
necessaiy foi the piopei hanuling of the mattei.
The Coue of Piofessionall Responsibility was initially
uiafteu by the Committee on Piofessional
Responsibility, Biscipline anu Bisbaiment of the
Integiateu Bai of the Philippines, composeu of Bean
Iiene Coites as Chaiiman anu }ustice Caiolina uiio-
Aquino, Attys. uonzalo W. uonzalez, Naicelo B. Feinan,
Camilo Quiason, }ose F. Espinosa anu Caimelo v. Sison
as membeis, with foimei Chief }ustice Robeito
Concepcion anu foimei }ustice }ose B.L. Reyes as
consultants, anu Piof. Nyina S. Feliciano anu
Atty.Concepcion Lim-}aiueleza as iesouice peisons.