The Supreme Court is planning to require all lawyers to render at least 60 hours of pro bono (or free) legal aid services to the poor every three years during their professional career under its new Unified Legal Aid Services (ULAS) program.
THE COURT CREATED A TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP (TWG) with Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa as chair and Justice Rodil V. Zalameda as vice chair. The TWG drafted the ULAS Rules. And to secure nationwide participation in finalizing the drafted Rules, the Court launched its four-leg ULAS Regional Consultations.
Keynoted by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, the first leg was kicked off in Baguio last April 12, the second in Cagayan de Oro last April 18, the third will be held in Makati on May 17, and the fourth in Iloilo City on a date to be announced. From these four consultations, the Court expects “feedback and insights that will be taken into consideration in [finalizing] the Rules.”
These new Rules will replace two earlier initiatives that restricted creditable legal aid service only to litigation work and failed to recognize the other aspects of law practice. To address this objection, the draft Rules will credit “any service involving the application of law … [and will] allow non-litigation lawyers to render services in their respective fields of expertise and provide legal assistance to ‘qualified beneficiaries,’
The Court justified this imposition, arguing that the
“practice of law is imbued with public interest, and membership in the Bar is a special privilege burdened with conditions. Fundamentally, lawyers have the bounden duty to assist in fostering access to adequate legal assistance as guaranteed by the Constitution by making their legal services readily accessible to the public in an efficient and convenient manner, compatible with the independence, integrity, and effectiveness of the profession. To carry out such constitutional guarantee, Covered Lawyers are obliged to render Pro Bono Legal Aid Services to those who would otherwise be denied access to adequate legal assistance.”
Read the full story here: https://opinion.inquirer.net/173112/60-hours-of-free-legal-aid-for-the-poor#ixzz8YY36c0us
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