THE Supreme Court (SC) said it will allow law students who have completed their first year of study to be certified to engage in the limited practice of law under the supervision of a lawyer starting 2020.
The SC Public Information Office said the court, sitting en banc on June 25, adopted and promulgated A.M. No. 19-03-24-SC Rule 138-A Law Student Practice or Revised Law Student Practice Rule (Revised Rule).
Under Section 3 of the revised rule, law students who have completed first-year law courses may apply for Level 1 certification from the executive judge of a regional trial court. Students enrolled for a second semester of their third year may apply for Level 2 certification issued by the Office of the Court Administrator.
The ruling revises Rule 138-A which previously allowed only law students who have completed their third year of study to appear in any case before a court, tribunal, board or officer.
Level 1 certification is valid before all courts, quasi-judicial and administrative bodies within the judicial region where the law school is located while Level 2 certification is valid before all courts, quasi-judicial and administrative bodies.
Under the revised rules, those in Level 1 may give legal advice to clients, draft legal documents, and provide legal public orientations, among others. Those in Level 2 can perform all activities under Level 1, assist in the taking of sworn evidence and prepare judicial affidavits of witnesses, appear on behalf of the client at any stage of trial, among other tasks that are subject to approval of the supervising lawyer.
Once a student is certified, the certificate number must be used in signing briefs, pleadings, and other legal documents under the direction of the supervising lawyer.
The revised rules will take effect at the start of Academic Year 2020-2021. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
