Delos Reyes, Mark Erwin W. Atty.

Sicat 3 Idiots as Part of our Daily Lives

Legal Ethics

This film focuses on 3 engineering students of Imperial College of Engineering in India, namely, Rancho, Farhan and Raju. Rancho, as the character portrayed, is an optimistic man on any aspect of his life; Fahran lives on fear that affects his dream to become an engineer; and Raju exists to satisfy his fathers dreams. There is also a character named Virus, or Professor Viru Sahastrabudhhe, this professor made their stay in the college of engineering a difficult one. These characters really show the reality and complexity of our lives.

The movie really gave emphasis on the importance of education, we as Filipinos strive and do our best to finish our school, to obtain a degree. However, there are some difficulties that may set in, like in the movie, it is portrayed by Virus. As the name itself provides, Virus in the movie, can magically make college life a living hell. What I realized, if there is no difficulty in our lives we will not be stronger enough to face the future problems. As I correlate that to the law school, law school teaches me to be more patient and persistent in achieving my dreams. These trials and failures can make me stronger to face stronger trials and failures. As Sven Goran Eriksson said, The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure, if there is no failure can I really say it is a success?

Another thing that the movie gave me to ponder upon is, to love our lives. In the film, some of the students do suicides if they encounter failure. Ending your life can cause bigger problems, bigger heartaches. Ending your own life is not the solution to your problem, as many pg. 1

things can still happen. Ending your own life is very selfish act because there are others who love you, and ending your life can cause great heartaches to them. The father and son scene in the movie moved me; because Fahran, in humility, asked his father to accept his dream to be a photographer and he assured that he will never attempt to end his life if his father will not allow pursuing his dream. Fahran knows, as Raju said, that ending his life can cause great heartache to his parents that can last a lifetime.

Love for the family is one of the values that Raju employed in the movie. Raju studies hard to help his family in the future. Family is your first circle of friends, anyone can leave but your family remains by your side. Raju loves his family, but to the extent that he lives on fear. Since he is pressured to help his family, there is fear on everything he does. Fear can be a difficult enemy to overcome. Basing your life on fear is a very tiring life. Fear blurs our path to success. So if we want to fully enjoy our journey to success, we should not base our life on fear. Savour every moment you have in achieving your dreams.

Rancho is very optimistic and cheerful person. He does things the way he wants and with optimism on it. He believes that one should follow excellence, not success, as success will come itself if excellence is followed. For me Ranchos attitude can give you the dreams that you want. For instance, Rancho does not memorize, he analyse the concepts given on him, and he apply it to his daily life. This attitude can help me in law school. Laws are not just to be memorized, they should be analysed. Once you analysed, the memorization can take place. This attitude can make my law school life easier. Ranchos optimism is immeasurable, for instance he can make a disaster into a celebration. Just like in the scene wherein Virus daughter is on the verge of

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giving birth, by Ranchos optimism and knowledge, he saved the babys life. Life has different perspectives; its up to you whether you will choose to be miserable or to be happy one.

Combining those 3 characters can give one heart, which is friendship. The main focus of the story revolves on friendship. As I saw in the film, their friendship made them better persons. They learned to live fully, without regrets. Friends are important to us; they can be your second family. Imagine life without friends whom can understand your weakness, your imperfections, it can be a hard world to live in. Friends support us no matter what happens, as on the film presented, they can make our life less complicated.

This film really showed me that Im not alone; there are people that can give me support no matter what. My family, classmates and friends can make my life less difficult to bear, and I should bear in mind that, when everything seems so difficult to bear, All is well.

Legal Ethics issues on Rain Maker

Rain maker is one of the best legal movies Ive ever seen. It shows the reality with regard to the life of a starting lawyer. The movie also shows how legal system actually works, and how some people take advantage on it. The story revolves on the life of a young lawyer named Rudy Baylor, wherein he fought against a large insurance company who embezzles the money of their clients by denying all their rightful claims. Baylor took the case of Donny Ray, the person who suffers from leukemia, but could have been saved if the Insurance Company did not deny their

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claims. After a long and tedious legal battle with the legal team of the Great Benefit Insurance, Baylor won the case with big punitive damages against Great Insurance.

However, in their long and tedious legal battle, there are some legal ethics issues that can be seen. These are the following:

a. Baylor has a partner named Deck Shifflet who is not a member of the bar. Clearly in the movie, Shifflet makes and signs pleadings, and worst, he appears in court as a fully pledged member of the bar. This scenario is in violation of Rule 138, Sec. 34 of the 1997 Rules of Court that requires a non-member of the bar to be able to appear in court should be under the aid, control and supervision of a member of a bar. Clearly, Shifflet can sign pleadings, doing legal work without disclosing that he is not a member of the bar, and there is no express indication that he is working under the aid, control and supervision of Baylor. b. As stated above, Baylor also violated Canon 9, Rule 9.01 which states that, 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. Clearly in the movie, Baylor actually knows that his partner, Shifflet is not a member of the bar and he delegated some legal works to him. c. J. Lyman Stone, Baylor and Shifflets previous boss engaged in racketeering. Racketeering, as it is commonly understood, has always coexisted with business. In the United States, the term racketeer was synonymous with members of organized-crime

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operations. (Hill, 2008) Racketeering considered as a crime and hence, Stone violated Rule 1.01 of Canon 1, which states that, A lawyer shall not engage in unlawful, dishonest, immoral or deceitful conduct. d. While waiting for the Bar exam, Baylor turned into an ambulance chaser to hunt for the potential clients in the local hospital. Baylor need to do this to earn money because at that time, he not a member of the bar. Ambulance chasing is also known as barratry, refers to a lawyer using an event as a way to find legal clients. The term Ambulance chasing comes from the stereotype of lawyers that follow ambulances to the emergency room to find clients. (Garner, 2011) Ambulance chasing violates Rule 1.03 of Canon 1 that states, A lawyer shall not, for any corrupt motive or interest, encourage any suit or proceeding or delay in a mans cause. e. As an opposing counsel of Baylor, Leo F. Drummond used unscrupulous and devious tactics to prevent Baylor in winning the case. Some of his tactics like placing bugs on Baylors office to pry on the thing that Baylor has regarding to the case. Also, it is evident that Drummond is hiding the witnesses that Baylor can use against Great Benefit Insurance. These tactics clearly violated Canon 8 of Code of Professional Responsibility which provides, A lawyer shall conduct himself with courtesy, fairness and candor toward his professional colleagues, and shall avoid harassing tactics against opposing counsel. f. Drummond also violated Rule 12.07 of Canon 12 by harassing Jackie Lemanczyk on the witness stand. The questions that Drummond asked clearly indicate his intention to degrade, harass, and needlessly inconvenience her.

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g. There was also violation of Rule 13.01 of Canon 13 when Drummond has a personal relationship with the first judge, namely Harvey Hale, who handled their case. It is clearly evident that Drummond and the judge want to dismiss the case. Drummond clearly violated Rule 13.01 of Canon 13 that provides, A lawyer shall not extend extraordinary attention or hospitality to, nor seek opportunity for, cultivating familiarity with Judges. h. Lastly, Baylor of Rule 15.03 of Canon 15 which states that, A lawyer shall not represent conflicting interests except by written consent of all concerned given after a full disclosure of facts. Baylor evidently violated this canon by having the case of Kelly Riker. It is evident from his acts that he likes Kelly, and having her case against her husband constitute conflict of interest. As ruled on U. S. vs. Laranja, 21 Phil. 500 (1912), there are three tests to determine conflicting interests. The first is when, on behalf of one client, it is the attorneys duty to contest for that which his duty to another client requires him to oppose or when this possibility of such situation will develop (conflicting duties). The second test is whether the acceptance of the new relation will prevent a lawyer from the full discharge of his duty of undivided fidelity and loyalty to his client or will invite suspicion of unfaithfulness or double-dealing in the performance thereof (Invitation of suspicion). The third test is whether a lawyer will be called upon in his new relation to use against the first client any knowledge acquired in the previous employment (use of prior knowledge obtained).

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The Code of Professional Responsibility was promulgated to ensure that the practice of law as a profession will remain noble. These canons were created to guide the lawyers in exercising their profession not just an officer of the court, but a responsible citizen of this country.

Works Cited

Garner, B. A. (2011). Garner's Dictionary of Legal Usage . Oxford University Press. Hill, G. N. (2008). The Free Dictionary. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from http://legaldictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Racketeering

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