In re Luis Tagorda:

Facts:
Respondent Luis B. Tagorda, a practising attorney and a member of the provincial board of Isabela, admits that previous to
the last general elections he made use of a card in which his name was written and inscribed thereunder were the words Attorney,
Notary Public & CANDIDATE FOR THIRD MEMBER Province of Isabela . The card also contains that as a notary public, he can
execute for you a deed of sale for the purchase of land as required by the cadastral office; can renew lost documents of your animals;
can make your application and final requisites for your homestead; and can execute any kind of affidavit. And that as a lawyer, he can
help you collect your loans although long overdue, as well as any complaint for or against you. Come or write to him in his town,
Echague, Isabela. He offers free consultation, and is willing to help and serve the poor.
Further, respondent went on to admit that he wrote the Barrio Lieutenant of Echague, Isabela stating among others that
despite his election as member of the Provincial Board, he will exercise his legal profession as a lawyer and notary public, i.e. he will
receive any work regarding preparations of documents of contract of sales and affidavits to be sworn to before him as notary public
even on Sundays and that he will only charge three (3) pesos for every land registration that he handles in court. He thus requested the
Barrio Lieutenant to transmit this information to the barrio people in any of his meetings or social gatherings.
ISSUE:
WON the aforementioned acts of Tagorda constitutes malpractice.
RULING:
Yes. The practice of soliciting cases at law for the purpose of gain, either personally or through paid agents or brokers,
constitutes malpractice. The most worthy and effective advertisement possible, even for a young lawyer, and especially with his
brother lawyers, is the establishment of a well-merited reputation for professional capacity and fidelity to trust. This cannot be forced,
but must be the outcome of character and conduct. The publication or circulation of ordinary simple business cards, being a matter of
personal taste or local custom, and sometimes of convenience, is not per se improper. But solicitation of business by circulars or
advertisements, or by personal communications or interview not warranted by personal relations, is unprofessional.
It is disreputable to hunt up defects in titles or other causes of action and inform thereof in order to the employed to bring
suit, or to breed litigation by seeking out those with claims for personal injuries or those having any other grounds of action in order
to secure them as clients, or to employ agents or runners for like purposes
The solicitation of employment by an attorney is a ground for disbarment or suspension. That should be distinctly
understood. However, taking into consideration that respondent was young and inexperience and unaware of the impropriety of his
acts and his earnest promise not to commit a similar mistake in the future, a modest period of a one-month suspension would seem to
fit the case of the respondent.