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RULE 138

Attorneys and Admission to


Bar
Section 1. Who may practice
law. — Any person heretofore
duly admitted as a member of the
bar, or hereafter admitted as
such in accordance with the
provisions of this rule, and who is
in good and regular standing, is
entitled to practice law.
Section 2. Requirements for all
applicants for admission to the bar. —
Every applicant for admission as a
member of the bar must be a citizen of
the Philippines, at least twenty-one years
of age, of good moral character, and
resident of the Philippines; and must
produce before the Supreme Court
satisfactory evidence of good moral
character, and that no charges against
him, involving moral turpitude, have been
filed or are pending in any court in the
Philippines.
Section 3. Requirements for lawyers
who are citizens of the United States of
America. — Citizens of the United
States of America who, before July 4,
1946, were duly licensed members of
the Philippine Bar, in active practice in
the courts of the Philippines and in good
and regular standing as such may, upon
satisfactory proof of those facts before
the Supreme Court, be allowed to
continue such practice after taking the
following oath of office:
I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., having been permitted
to continue in the practice of law in the Philippines, do
solemnly swear that I recognize the supreme authority of the
Republic of the Philippines; I will support its Constitution and
obey the laws as well as the legal orders of the duly
constituted authorities therein; I will do no falsehood, nor
consent to the doing of any in court; I will not wittingly or
willingly promote or sue any groundless, false or unlawful
suit, nor give aid nor consent to the same; I will delay no
man for money or malice, and will conduct myself as a
lawyer according to the best of may knowledge and
discretion with all good fidelity as well as to the courts as to
my clients; and I impose upon myself this voluntary
obligation without any mental reservation or purpose of
evasion. So help me God.
Section 4. Requirements for applicants from
other jurisdictions. — Applicants for admission
who, being Filipino citizens, are enrolled
attorneys in good standing in the Supreme
Court of the United States or in any circuit court
of appeals or district court therein, or in the
highest court of any State or Territory of the
United States, and who can show by
satisfactory certificates that they have practiced
at least five years in any of said courts, that
such practice began before July 4, 1946, and
that they have never been suspended or
disbarred, may, in the discretion of the Court,
be admitted without examination.
Section 5. Additional requirements for other
applicants. — All applicants for admission other
than those referred to in the two preceding
section shall, before being admitted to the
examination, satisfactorily show that they have
regularly studied law for four years, and
successfully completed all prescribed courses,
in a law school or university, officially approved
and recognized by the Secretary of Education.
The affidavit of the candidate, accompanied by
a certificate from the university or school of law,
shall be filed as evidence of such facts, and
further evidence may be required by the court.
No applicant shall be admitted to the
bar examinations unless he has
satisfactorily completed the following
courses in a law school or university
duly recognized by the government:
civil law, commercial law, remedial
law, criminal law, public and private
international law, political law, labor
and social legislation, medical
jurisprudence, taxation and legal
ethics.
Section 6. Pre-Law. — No applicant for
admission to the bar examination shall be
admitted unless he presents a certificate that he
has satisfied the Secretary of Education that,
before he began the study of law, he had
pursued and satisfactorily completed in an
authorized and recognized university or college,
requiring for admission thereto the completion
of a four-year high school course, the course of
study prescribed therein for a bachelor's degree
in arts or sciences with any of the following
subjects as major or field of concentration:
political science, logic, english, spanish, history
and economics.

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