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