Marbella C.

Aguinaldo

BSBA Legal Management

The Four-Fold Duties of a Lawyer

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 CANON 1 - A LAWYER CANON 7 - A CANON 10 - A LAWYER

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

Source:

Code of Professional Responsibility

(Promulgated June 21, 1988)