egg, larva, pupa, and adult

1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
Bar review
Pre-week
After the Bar
After the results are released -

OR
Atty Rene Bonto
CAVEAT!
 Legal Ethics are all about ideals that may not match
with the realities of our times.

 Do not be discouraged

 For purposes of our study (and of PASSING THE

BAR)…
 HOTTEST ETHICAL ISSUES
OF THE DAY
 He says “it is covered by free speech”
 Should she resign from the Senate?
Will this subject bore you?
I THINK Legal Ethics is…
 Hard to teach
 Harder to live by (“mahirap magpakabait”)
 The least studied Bar subject
Don’t sleep.

This is 5% of your Bar grade! ( It may be

the difference between passing and
flunking the Bar)
Do you agree?
Is Legal Ethics the easiest Bar
subject?

Think again.
Bar Questions
 May a Supreme Court justice be disbarred? (May
PRRD be disbarred?)

 (Recall the VACC case vs Justice Corona; recall your

Consti law)

 2009 Bar, No. XII

Write the complete text of the attorney’s oath. (5%)
Morality vs Ethics
 Morality is understanding the distinction between
right and wrong and living according to that
understanding, and

 Ethics is the philosophy of how that morality guides

individual and group behavior.

 The two are closely related, with morality being the

foundation of ethics.
ETIQUETTE
 the customary code of polite behavior in society or
among members of a particular profession or group.

 synonyms:protocol, manners, accepted behavior, rules

of conduct, decorum, good form;
 Ethics Morals

What are The rules of conduct recognized in Principles or habits with

they? respect to a particular class of human respect to right or wrong
actions or a particular group or culture. conduct. While morals
also prescribe dos and
don'ts, morality is
ultimately a personal
compass of right and
wrong.
 Ethics Morals

Where do Social system - External Individual - Internal

they come
from?
 Ethics Morals

Why we do Because society says it is the right thing Because we believe in

it? to do. something being right or
wrong.
 Ethics Morals

Flexibility Ethics are dependent on others for Usually consistent,

definition. They tend to be consistent although can change if an
within a certain context, but can vary individual’s beliefs
between contexts. change.
 Ethics
The "Gray" A person strictly following Ethical
Principles may not have any Morals at
all. Likewise, one could violate Ethical
Principles within a given system of rules
in order to maintain Moral integrity.
Morals
A Moral Person although
perhaps bound by a
higher covenant, may
choose to follow a code of
ethics as it would apply to
a system. "Make it fit"
 Ethics Morals

Origin Greek word "ethos" meaning"character" Latin word "mos"

meaning "custom"
 Ethics Morals

Acceptabil Ethics are governed by professional and Morality transcends

ity legal guidelines within a particular time cultural norms
and place
“There is honor among thieves”

The meaning, of course, is the concept of

"professional courtesy," that even the disreputable and
unethical do - particularly among themselves - adhere
to various sorts of moral codes of conduct.
There is an ethical way of doing
things in the legal profession…
In the future, please say “I object” rather than
“that’s a total bullshit”
So Why study Legal Ethics?
 So you can pass the Bar!!!

 After studying for 4 years (more, for some) and passing the
Bar, disbarment is a real possibility.

 It is relatively easy to get disbarred (lots of grounds)

 Heartaches, heartaches, heartaches!

 Protect your investment! By then, you probably have spent

a lot on it.
A STUDY SAYS…
A study covering the years 2005 – 2009 found that the
grounds for disbarment or suspension of an attorney
are:
 (1) deceit;

 (2) malpractice or other gross misconduct in office;

 (3) grossly immoral conduct;

 (4) conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude;

A STUDY SAYS…
 (5) violation of the lawyer’s oath;

 (6) willful disobedience of any lawful order of a

superior court; and

 (7) willfully appearing as an attorney for a party

without authority.
A STUDY SAYS…
It revealed that the occurrence of disbarment are
highest at nine (9) for a year and around three on the
average within the same period.

It also showed that almost a third (1/3) of the cases of

disbarment were based on lawyers’ acts of deceit, and
nearly half (1/2) were committed in their capacity as
private individuals.
Who is a lawyer?
What’s your idea of a lawyer?
What’s your idea of a lawyer?
WHO IS GIVING THE LEGAL
PROFESSION A BAD NAME?
DO YOU STILL WANT TO BE A
LAWYER?
Why do you want to be a lawyer?

Choose the correct answer.

a. MONEY (What’s the ROI?)
b. Fame and glory
c. Personal and professional
growth
The good news is…

Choices a, b, and c are

NOT mutually
exclusive!
ANY QUESTION?