The Supreme Court will wrap-up its information drive on the proposed Code of Professional Accountability and Responsibility for lawyers and hold its last ethics caravan at the Saint Louis University (SLU) main campus in Baguio City on January 11.
In an advisory, the High Court said Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen is expected to present the proposed lawyer’s oath while Associate Justice Maria Felomina Singh will discuss the proposed Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability.
Leonen is the chair of the SC’s oversight committee in-charge of discussions on the proposed revisions to the legal profession’s regulations, while Singh is the co-vice chair of the sub-committee for the revision of the Code of Professional Accountability.
Associate Justice Amy Lazaro Javier, who heads the sub-committee for the revision of the Code, will deliver the opening remarks while Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, the co-vice chair of the sub-committee, will give the caravan’s closing remarks.
The caravan will culminate in the National Summit on Ethical Standards for Lawyers scheduled to be held next month.
Prior to the scheduled Baguio City event, the SC caravan visited Cebu, Davao and Naga cities.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo has earlier urged lawyers to give dignity and nobility to their profession to regain the trust of the people in them and the entire justice system.
“This a clarion call for all of us to take the responsibility of giving dignity and nobility to our profession, and by so doing, put back the trust of our people not only in lawyers, but in the justice system as a whole,” Gesmundo said.
Gesmundo said the legal profession has likewise said that the High Court is no stranger to allegations of scandal and controversy, which is why they are updating its Code to improve and modernize the practice of law in the country and make it more attuned to modern settings.
Among others, the proposed Code tackles the use of social media, formation and definition of the lawyer-client relationship, and conduct of non-legal staff and other intricacies experienced by practitioners today.
