Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
Unauthorized Notarization by Public Officials: The Limits of Authority in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when notarization by a government lawyer constitutes unauthorized private practice under R.A. 6713.
When Public Service and Private Practice Collide: Lessons from a Lawyer's Suspension
A provincial legal officer's three-year suspension shows the hard lines between government duty, private practice, and client loyalty.
When a Judge Assists Family in Court: Conduct Unbecoming and the Ban on Private Practice
A judge who coached his daughter and assisted his wife in an administrative case was fined for conduct unbecoming and practicing law.
Upholding Integrity: Public Officials Held Accountable for Dishonesty and Misconduct
The Supreme Court reinstates the Ombudsman's ruling against a school principal for dishonesty, grave misconduct, and prohibited private practice under R.A. 6713.
Conflict of Interest and Private Practice: Lessons from Lim-Santiago v. Sagucio
A disbarment case clarifies when a lawyer's past ties create a conflict and why government prosecutors cannot practice privately.
Lawyer Suspended for Dual Government Posts and Unauthorized Private Practice
Supreme Court suspends lawyer for six months for holding a prohibited second government post and engaging in private practice without required written permission.
Judicial Ethics in the Philippines: The Prohibition Against Private Practice for Judges
A Supreme Court ruling explains why judges cannot serve as private administrators or practice law, and the narrow exceptions allowed.