According to the Code of Professional Responsibility, the conduct of the lawyers should be guided by their four-fold duties — to the clients, the courts, their colleagues and the community.
Obligations and Duties of the Lawyers (Tabular Summary)
Client Court Colleagues Community
CANON 14 - A LAWYER SHALL CANON 1 - A LAWYER SHALL CANON 10 - A LAWYER OWES NOT REFUSE HIS SERVICES TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION, CANON 7 - A LAWYER CANDOR, FAIRNESS AND GOOD THE NEEDY. OBEY THE LAWS OF THE LAND SHALL AT ALL TIMES FAITH TO THE COURT Rule 14.01- no discrimination AND PROMOTE RESPECT FOR UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY He shall not do any falsehood, against client’s sex, race, creed, LAW OF AND LEGAL AND DIGNITY OF THE misquote or misrepresent the text status or his guilt of the crime PROCESSES. LEGAL PROFESSION AND or assert the fact which is not true accused. A lawyer shall refrain doing SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES and shall only be guided by the Rule 14.02- shall not decline any unlawful, dishonest, immoral or OF THE INTEGRATED BAR. rules of procedure. appointment as counsel except for deceitful conduct nor weakening serious and sufficient cause. the confidence to our legal system He shall be liable to any false CANON 11 - A LAWYER SHALL Rule 14.03- may not refuse to and shall settle or end the statements and shall not OBSERVE AND MAINTAIN THE represent an indigent client unless controversy with fair settlement. support an admission of RESPECT DUE TO THE COURTS he cant carry out the work unqualified person to the bar AND TO JUDICIAL OFFICERS effectively or there is a conflict of CANON 2 - A LAWYER SHALL and shall not discredit the legal AND SHOULD INSIST ON interest. MAKE HIS LEGAL SERVICES profession whether in public or SIMILAR CONDUCT BY OTHERS Rule 14.04- he shall observe the AVAILABLE IN AN EFFICIENT private life. A lawyer shall wear proper clothing, same standards of conduct between AND CONVENIENT MANNER CANON 8 - A LAWYER be punctual and refrain himself paying and non-paying clients. COMPATIBLE WITH THE SHALL CONDUCT HIMSELF from doing offensive or scandalous INDEPENDENCE, INTEGRITY WITH COURTESY, behavior before the courts. AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FAIRNESS AND CANDOR CANON 15 - A LAWYER SHALL PROFESSION. TOWARDS HIS OBSERVE CANDOR, FAIRNESS He shall not refuse to give his PROFESSIONAL CANON 12 - A LAWYER SHALL AND LOYALTY IN ALL HIS services except for valid reasons COLLEAGUES, AND SHALL EXERT EVERY EFFORT AND DEALINGS AND TRANSACTIONS and shall not charge lower fees AVOID HARASSING CONSIDER IT HIS DUTY TO WITH HIS CLIENTS. than actually prescribed. TACTICS AGAINST ASSIST IN THE SPEEDY AND Rule15.01- he shall inform his client OPPOSING COUNSEL. EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATION OF if there is a conflict of interest. CANON 3 - A LAWYER IN No abusive, offensive or JUSTICE. Rule 15.02- any disclosed matters MAKING KNOWN HIS LEGAL improper language will be used by the client shall be bound by the SERVICES SHALL USE ONLY professionally nor encroach rule on privileged communication. TRUE, HONEST, FAIR, directly or indirectly the client of CANON 13 - A LAWYER SHALL Rule15.05- he shall give honest and DIGNIFIED AND OBJECTIVE a colleague however he has RELY UPON THE MERITS OF HIS candid opinion without understating INFORMATION OR STATEMENT the right to give proper advice CAUSE AND REFRAIN FROM or overstating the prospects of the OF FACTS. to the client with a neglectful ANY IMPROPRIETY WHICH case. counsel. TENDS TO INFLUENCE, OR CANON 4 - A LAWYER SHALL GIVES THE APPEARANCE OF CANON 16 - A LAWYER SHALL PARTICIPATE IN THE CANON 9 - A LAWYER INFLUENCING THE COURT. HOLD IN TRUST ALL MONEYS DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEGAL SHALL NOT, DIRECTLY OR AND PROPERTIES OF HIS SYSTEM BY INITIATING OR INDIRECTLY, ASSIST IN THE CLIENT THAT MAY COME INTO SUPPORTING EFFORTS IN LAW UNAUTHORIZED PRACTICE HIS PROFESSION. REFORM AND IN THE OF LAW. He shall be accountable for all IMPROVEMENT OF THE He shall not delegate any money or property collected or ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. unqualified person to perform received and shall keep the fund legal task prescribed by law separate and apart form his own CANON 5 - A LAWYER SHALL nor divide fees for legal and others and when due and KEEP ABREAST OF LEGAL services except for some demandable it shall be delivered to DEVELOPMENTS, PARTICIPATE agreements. the owner upon satisfying his IN CONTINUING LEGAL required lawful fees. Neither he EDUCATION PROGRAMS, borrows nor lends his money to the SUPPORT EFFORTS TO client unless he has to advance the ACHIEVE HIGH STANDARDS IN necessary expenses in a legal LAW SCHOOLS AS WELL AS IN matter. THE PRACTICAL TRAINING OF LAW STUDENTS AND ASSIST IN DISSEMINATING THE LAW AND CANON 17 - A LAWYER OWES JURISPRUDENCE. FIDELITY TO THE CAUSE OF HIS CLIENT AND HE SHALL BE It is required to support MINDFUL OF THE TRUST AND the Mandatory Continuing CONFIDENCE REPOSED IN HIM. Legal Education (MCLE) for members of the Integrated CANON 18 - A LAWYER SHALL Bar of the Philippines (IBP), SERVE HIS CLIENT WITH recommended by the IBP COMPETENCE AND DILIGENCE CANON 6 - THESE CANONS CANON 19 - A LAWYER SHALL SHALL APPLY TO LAWYERS IN REPRESENT HIS CLIENT WITH GOVERNMENT SERVICES IN ZEAL WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE DISCHARGE OF THEIR THE LAW. TASKS.
He shall not handle services which It is the duty of public prosecutors
he is not qualified to render unless to administer justice and shall not with a collaborating lawyer, neither use his position to interfere with his he does any matters without enough private interest nor accept or preparation nor neglect it for he is engage employment in the liable in results thereof. He shall previous office after leaving his keep the client be informed of the service. status of the case.
CANON 20 - A LAWYER SHALL
CHARGE ONLY FAIR AND REASONABLE FEES.
CANON 21 - A LAWYER SHALL
PRESERVE THE CONFIDENCE AND SECRETS OF HIS CLIENT EVEN AFTER THE ATTORNEY- CLIENT RELATION IS TERMINATED.
CANON 22 - A LAWYER SHALL
WITHDRAW HIS SERVICES ONLY FOR GOOD CAUSE AND UPON NOTICE APPROPRIATE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.