LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
Lecture 1
(June 18, 2012)
Legal Counseling is basically, is meeting your client,
knowing his woes, knowing the reason why he came to
you and giving advice. For a lot of people, you come to a
lawyer, and say “attorney, ang sanga sa mangga sa
among silingan, nagbarog na sa akong fence. Pwede ba
nako na putlon?” That is already a legal issue. Can he
cut such branch of that mango tree? Can somebody
remember the law on property? (I can hear people
whispering haha!) Can he cut down that branch? Sus
nakalimot na lagi! When was the last time you had
property? Last year? My goodness! You know when you
go to private practice, ang question hind “what is the
corporate share of class A class B”. but “Attorney, unsa
man tong iro sa among neighbor?” Ganyan ang mga
tanong ng mga kliyente ninyo. You have to know this
things, not “kadali lang ha? Tempa lang.” So you
research on that, Apollo. Give me the answer next
week. Those are the type of questions. I got involved
with my daughter’s PTA so I get to know the teachers,
and then knowing that I am a lawyer, they would ask
“Attorney, meron lang akong question bah, yung kasing
punoan ng aking neighbor, nahulog na” you have to be
careful ha. What are the grounds for him to chop down
that tree. So you have to be careful. Meron pang
“Attorney, kaning akong anak ba, wla nako na rehistro
pag anak nako niya bah unsa man ang akong buhaton?”
Ganun nay an, she got married, she had a child when
she was single, she got married to another man, and the
child is using the name of the second husband. Is there
a valid adoption there? This are the things that come
into your radar when you open your new Villanueva
Law office. So let’s say Villanueva- Ontal- Garcia Law
Offices. So, you think that someone goes here and says
“I want to file a case for violation of intellectual
property law” Do you think you’ll have those clients
here in Davao? So wherever your office is, yun yung
mga problema na na haharapin ninyo. “Attorney
nawad-an kog lisensya” What does he do? You need to
draw an affidavit. Even if you draw a very simple
documents, you must be sure that these documents
comply with requirements of law. And once you give
advice, even if hasn’t paid yet, you are already engaged
as a lawyer.
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PRACTICE OF LAW
It is the act of performing any activity
pertaining to a bonafide member of the bar which is
carried out on a habitual or continuous process and
translated into action by means of giving advice,
drafting of documents or appearance in court or other
administrative or quasi-judicial body involving the use of
faculty or intelligence of one skilled in law who is
entitled to a legal fee.
Let’s break it down:
Any activity pertaining to a bona fide member of the bar
- You have to be a member of the bar for you to
practice law. Those who are under-bar, there is
a program wherein law students are allowed to
practice, but that is governed by a special law.
Which is carried out on a habitual or continuous process
- Habitual and continuous process, so you go out
there and present yourself as a lawyer, and you
perform an activity in a continuous process, you
don’t just draw a document once in a blue
moon, you do it as a livelihood.
Translated into action by means of giving advice,
drafting of documents
- That’s where your legal forms become
important.
Or appearance in court or other administrative or quasi-
judicial body
- Even if you just appear in court and say “Your
Honor, I move to postpone” that is already a
practice of law. If you’re a part of big law firms,
the junior lawyers are usually the ones sent to
do minor motions, kaba2x ka pa nyan. But you
know class, the judge will always decide based
on the documents presented to him, all these
things you see in Boston legal, are mere tactics
of impressing the client, but at the end of the
day, the judge will decide on the basis of your
documents.
Other administrative or quasi-judicial body
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
- What is an administrative body? What is a
quasi-judicial body?
Use of faculty or intelligence of one skilled in law
- You know this is really complicated, the use of
faculty or intelligence of one skilled in law. How
do you become skilled in law? Ow well, in your
1st, 2nd or 3rd year, you can’t say that you already
use your faculty, but you can already say that
you are using your intelligence, your training, of
your studies. And above all, this performance of
an act, is supposed to be compensated, you are
entitled to a legal fee.
When you do these things, you ask yourself, are you
already in the practice of law? Yes, you are. But even if
you are appearing in judicial, administrative or quasi-
judicial bodies, you draft documents, but you are not
signing the pleadings, are you in the practice of law?
Actually you are not in the practice of law. (Nota bene:
If you are not signing pleadings, you are not engaged in
the practice of law) You are doing the things that is
actually done by a lawyer but you are not engaged in
the practice of law. To be in the practice of law, you are
the one signing the documents. There paralegals, they
seem to be lawyers, they have knowledge of law, but
they are not members of the bar but they are virtually
doing practice of law, but they are not law practitioners.
LEGAL COUNSELING
It is the art of giving advice and information
concerning the solution to a legal problem arising from
a given state of facts and the adoption of appropriate
reliefs or remedies under the law and enforcement of a
legal obligation before a judicial or quasi-judicial body.
Why do we say it is an art? It could be a science it could
be an art, it could be the science of law. Why art? Why
not science? It is an art, it is a science, and it could be
both.
What is Science?
- It is any skill or technique that requires a precise
application of facts or principles.
What is Art?
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Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
- It is a skill involved in the conduct of any human
activity.
I submit, (because the author says that it is an art) I
submit that legal counseling is both a science and an
art. It is science because it involves the precise
application of legal principles and statutes to a given
state of facts. You have a legal principle of equity, (what
else? In pari delicto) those are legal principles and you
have to apply these principles to given set of facts. So in
a way, you can’t measure it, it is not appropriate if you
do not apply these principles to facts correctly. They
must be applied correctly.Why art? Because it involves
analytical reasoning and language. You know class, law
is a very, it language centered. You never do away with
English in the practice of law. It is the number one
instrument when you engaged in the practice, especially
to the court and your peers. The decisions are made in
English. The world is getting too small, the language of
business is English, we travel we use English. So English
will be there whether you like it or not.
Analytical reasoning
- Problem solving or analytical reasoning.
Giving of advice or information
- It may be preventive, curative, not necessarily
adversarial. Maybe the question on hand is
“What is the next step? I want to register my
land” Registering a deed of sale is not
adversarial at all. This is part of legal advice,
although it could be done by any person, when
you want to register your property you really
don’t need a lawyer, but sometimes you know,
the client can pay the services of a lawyer.
Solution of a legal problem
- The problem to be solved is legal. And you
know when an issue is legal.
To a given state of facts
- Avoid hypothetical situations. So to be able to
give advice, it has to be a given state of facts.
Sometimes your client is a bit hesitant,
sometimes they will just rephrase it. Minsan
nahihiya eh. If you know from your
conversation with your client that something is
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
hidden here, so you schedule him for another
interview. For a cup of coffee, they loosen up.
Then you know the real state of facts.
Adoption of appropriate remedies given by law
- Adoption of appropriate remedies given by law.
It has to be appropriate hindi yang “Ipapatay
nalang nato na bah” it must be a legal advice.
Sometimes you don’t know, right? “unsaon ko
mana attorney nang sanga?” it is a skill, if you
are trying to hide your ignorance, you must
have to do some postulate like “Ah, that is a bit
complicated, I’ll get back to you on that, why
don’t we schedule another appointment?” (joke
time)
Enforcement of a legal obligation
- There is a legal obligation involved and must be
satisfied. If there is no legal obligation, there
will be no cause of action.
To judicial body or quasi-judicial body
- Judicial body or the courts, from MTC all the
way to the Supreme Court.
- Quasi-judicial body or administrative body
belonging to the executive branch of the
government vested with jurisdiction to hear or
adjudicate non-litigious cases (I don’t think
there is really such a thing as non-litigious
cases) with power to enforce its judgment or
order and to punish for contempt. This is in
contrast to what and administrative body does.
Example of a quasi-judicial body is the NLRC,
the DARAB, SEC, CSC, COA. When you take a
look at their composition, you will see very
familiar provisions that are from the rules of
court. The service of summons, the hearings.
They are part of the executive branch of the
government
- Administrative body is an instrumentality of
the government. It is defined in the Administrative
Code. It is all there. Including departments, bureaus
or agencies. So these are vested by law with
jurisdiction to settle and adjudicate controversies
arising from the interpretation and enforcement of
a law. It is also defined as a department; bureau,
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Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
office, instrumentality or government owned and
controlled corporation or the GOCC. The GOCC’s
each one has its own charter, but their charter will
also come into play or stick with the provisions of
the Administrative Code.
If you have certain complaint to the Department of
Trade, you follow the rules and regulations to achieve a
certain process. When you follow the steps, at the end
of the process there is a decision, such decision is made
by an administrative body as contrasted to a quasi-
judicial body. Usually, a quasi-judicial body sits en banc.
For example the NLRC, they sit en banc and make
decisions. But administrative bodies usually have sub-
agencies under their umbrella. If you want to question
the decision, you bring it to the courts. You have to
state there that you have complied with the
administrative procedure, so that your action will not
be dismissed. This is in relation to failure to exhaust
administrative remedies. Sometimes you even have to
go all the way up to the office of the president so that
you will have a cause of action and to say that you have
exhausted all available remedies.
LEGAL ETHICS
Legal ethics is that branch of moral science
which treats of the duties an attorney owes to his client,
to the court, and the bar.
So you have the client, the court and the bar. So the
code of professional responsibility, it creates
expectations, responsibilities and manages
expectations.
Practice of law is not business.
- But I disagree, this is too idealistic. Your law
office will not survive if you do not treat your
office as business. I wouldn’t say, the practice of
law is not a business, but this is right. But to be
realistic about it, you have to treat it as business
as well. The practice of law sometimes you can’t
turn away from clients. So in a way, you have to
make sure that you have paying clients and your
paying clients, maybe 60-70 percent. The 40
percent will be for legal aid, for relatives. You
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
must make sure you have core source. The
practice of law is a profession not a business.
Burbe vs. Magulta (June 10, 2002)
In this day and age, members of the bar often
forget that the practice of law is a profession and not a
business.[11] Lawyering is not primarily meant to be a
money-making venture, and law advocacy is not a
capital that necessarily yields profits.[12] The gaining of
a livelihood is not a professional but a secondary
consideration.[13] Duty to public service and to the
administration of justice should be the primary
consideration of lawyers, who must subordinate their
personal interests or what they owe to themselves. The
practice of law is a noble calling in which emolument is
a byproduct, and the highest eminence may be attained
without making much money.
Duty to public service and administration of justice,
emolument is a by-product.
The practice of law is not a legal right but a privilege.
- It can always be taken away from you when you
do something unethical. A bar candidate can’t
just practice law simply by passing the bar. It
can be taken with the mandate of due process.
-
CANON 7 - A LAWYER SHALL AT ALL TIMES UPHOLD
THE INTEGRITY AND DIGNITY OF THE LEGAL
PROFESSION AND SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE
INTEGRATED BAR.
Rule 7.01 - A lawyer shall be answerable for knowingly
making a false statement or suppressing a material fact
in connection with his application for admission to the
bar.
Rule 7.02 - A lawyer shall not support the application
for admission to the bar of any person known by him to
be unqualified in respect to character, education, or
other relevant attribute.
Rule 7.03 - A lawyer shall not engage in conduct that
adversely reflects on his fitness to practice law, nor shall
he, whether in public or private life, behave in a
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Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
scandalous manner to the discredit of the legal
profession.
How do you do that? You have to make sure that the
conduct of your affairs, public or private, must conform
to, must be at par with the expectations of a lawyer.
The demand to be upright is both in public or private
life. Masyadong mataas ang standards nito. So these are
the things that slip the mind of practitioners which are
already in many years of practice that they tend to
forget that their private life is also in scrutiny.
As officers of the court, a lawyer must also be seen to be
of good moral character.
You must also be of good moral character, and live your
life with highest standards. Refrain from adulterous
relationships to avoid scandalizing the public. Lawyers
are very human, they make mistakes. So, sometimes
these standards are very high, they fail to see the
human in the person. But of course, different standards
apply. It is really up to the person. It is really up to the
complainant if he feels that justice must be served, then
go ahead and file a complaint. This is a very high
standard. At the end of the day, the conscience has to
be clear. If your client doesn’t have a chance in court,
you have to tell him, you have to be honest.
Hadjula Vs Madianda (Ac 6711)
The moment complainant approached the then
receptive respondent to seek legal advice, a veritable
lawyer-client relationship evolved between the two.
Such relationship imposes upon the lawyer certain
restrictions circumscribed by the ethics of the
profession. Among the burdens of the relationship is
that which enjoins the lawyer, respondent in this
instance, to keep inviolate confidential information
acquired or revealed during legal consultations. The fact
that one is, at the end of the day, not inclined to handle
the client's case is hardly of consequence. Of little
moment, too, is the fact that no formal professional
engagement follows the consultation. Nor will it make
any difference that no contract whatsoever was
executed by the parties to memorialize the relationship.
As we said inBurbe v. Magulta,6 -
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
A lawyer-client relationship was established from the
very first moment complainant asked respondent for
legal advise regarding the former's business. To
constitute professional employment, it is not essential
that the client employed the attorney professionally on
any previous occasion.
It is not necessary that any retainer be paid, promised,
or charged; neither is it material that the attorney
consulted did not afterward handle the case for which
his service had been sought.
It a person, in respect to business affairs or troubles of
any kind, consults a lawyer with a view to obtaining
professional advice or assistance, and the attorney
voluntarily permits or acquiesces with the consultation,
then the professional employments is established.
Likewise, a lawyer-client relationship exists
notwithstanding the close personal relationship
between the lawyer and the complainant or the non-
payment of the former's fees.
Dean Wigmore lists the essential factors to establish the
existence of the attorney-client privilege
communication, viz:
(1) Where legal advice of any kind is sought (2) from a
professional legal adviser in his capacity as such, (3) the
communications relating to that purpose, (4) made in
confidence (5) by the client, (6) are at his instance
permanently protected (7) from disclosure by himself or
by the legal advisor, (8) except the protection be
waived.7
Once a person asks for an advice, you just assume right
away that there is lawyer-client relationship that is
established. Even in the absence of a contract, you still
have a lawyer client relationship. Once it is established,
you have to be confidential. You can’t even tell it to
your spouse. Otherwise you will be in violation of
confidentially. Everything is confidential. So standard is
very high and strict. The starting point is when your
client tells you all the facts and asks you for legal advice,
that’s the point where attorney-client relationship
commences.
Client’s Funds
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Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
CANON 16 - A LAWYER SHALL HOLD IN TRUST ALL
MONEYS AND PROPERTIES OF HIS CLIENT THAT MAY
COME INTO HIS POSSESSION.
Rule 16.01 - A lawyer shall account for all money or
property collected or received for or from the client.
Rule 16.02 - A lawyer shall keep the funds of each client
separate and apart from his own and those of others
kept by him.
Rule 16.03 - A lawyer shall deliver the funds and
property of his client when due or upon demand.
However, he shall have a lien over the funds and may
apply so much thereof as may be necessary to satisfy his
lawful fees and disbursements, giving notice promptly
thereafter to his client. He shall also have a lien to the
same extent on all judgments and executions he has
secured for his client as provided for in the Rules of
Court.
Rule 16.04 - A lawyer shall not borrow money from his
client unless the client’s interests are fully protected by
the nature of the case or by independent advice. Neither
shall a lawyer lend money to a client except, when in
the interest of justice; he has to advance necessary
expenses in a legal matter he is handling for the client.
You have to take care of your client’s funds. All the
monies must be accounted for. You hold separate
accounts, as a good procedure, it is always good an
established separate account. So there would be no
issues later on.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
A lawyer shall not represent conflicting interests
except with the written consent of all his clients.
- (A situation that has the potential to undermine
the impartiality of a person because of the
possibility of a clash between the person's self-
interest and professional interest or public
interest. It is a situation in which a person has a
duty to more than one person or organization,
but cannot do justice to the actual or potentially
adverse interests of both parties. This includes
when an individual's personal interests or
concerns are inconsistent with the best for a
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
customer, or when a public official's personal
interests are contrary to his/her loyalty to
public business. An attorney, an accountant, a
business adviser or realtor cannot represent
two parties in a dispute and must avoid even
the appearance of conflict. He/she may not join
with a client in business without making full
disclosure of his/her potential conflicts, he/she
must avoid commingling funds with the client,
and never, never take a position adverse to the
customer)
-Kristine Quibod-
Legal Counseling
(June 25, 2012)
Let’s go back to our previous discussion,
wherein we have said that practice of law is not a
business. It is not a money-making venture. But, at the
end of the day, you must consider the fact that your
practice must survive the competition. And we have to
remember the fact that we have a family to support. So,
these things, these are the important considerations to
weigh vis-à-vis the idea that practice of law is not a
business.
Unless of course, you go as a government
employee, or corporate lawyering. You know, when you
are a corporate lawyer, you can receive a regular salary,
you don’t have to worry about other costs, about your
employees’ salaries. The salary comes in every month,
every two weeks of pay period. If you are happy with
that, that would not be a tiresome work. But, for those
who would like to start on their own, they have a lot of
things to think about.
Practice is not a right, rather a privilege. That is
why we have a lot of ethics, rules, ethical rules, and you
also talk about professional responsibility. And if you fall
short of these professional responsibilities, or you
violate these ethical standards set to your profession,
you can be held liable criminally, and that your practice
of law can be suspended or you will be denied in the
practice of law. It is a privilege subject to the mandate
of the due process. Of course, you will be given a
chance to explain and defend yourself.
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Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
And I think that this would be a perfect topic in
your subject of legal ethics where you will discuss more
in depth the consequences of violating the ethical
standards of legal profession.
When a lawyer violates his oath, then what is the legal
consequence?
Instances that is considered practice of law:
So, last week, we have mentioned of the case of Burbe
vs Magulta ( Adm. Case No. 99-634, June 10, 2002). It
has mentioned a discussion of what is a practice of law,
what constitutes the practice of law. When does a
lawyer and client relationship commence? So, from the
decision of the Supreme Court, it would seem that if a
person will come to a lawyer, asks for his advice, gives
you all the facts of his case that was filed, with the
intention of getting a legal advice from you, then if you
did not arrived in an agreement, or you did not sign an
agreement, or even if you will say that now, you have to
hire me first before I will give you an advice. Clearly, the
rulings of the court say that even the moment you give
him an advice, and this all happened with the
knowledge of confidence, then, there exist a lawyer-
client relationship, immediately.
Now, what are the instances that are not considered
as practice of law?
1. Gratuitous furnishing of legal aid to the poor and
unfortunates who are in pursuit of any civil remedy, as a
matter of charity, does not constitute practice of law.
I dare say that this is debatable. Even an
indigent client deserves a good legal advice. They
expect that when they have a lawyer, that such lawyer
has such skills. So, you cannot, just turn around and say,
that this is all charity, so, there is no lawyer-client
relationship.
So, I think that this point here is debatable. For
example that you are a lawyer, people will come to you
and they will pay you. You must render the same equal
effort and service to your clients who are indigent and
those that can pay well.
2. The mere search for records of realty to ascertain
what they may disclose without giving any opinion or
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Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles

advice as to the legal effects of what may be found, and you are not collecting an attorney’s fees, you better
does not constitute practice of law. stop being a lawyer. You have intellectual property. The
advice that you give to your clients is considered as
intellectual property. You have to attach a value to your
intellectual property. Who determines the value? You
So, you said to a client or a friend, a friend who
yourself. If you think that you gave your client a very
knows that you are a lawyer. Your friend will say, can
good advice, then you have to collect an attorney’s fees.
you send somebody who can check the status of the
Even advice on telephone calls, some of the lawyers do
title in the Register of Deeds. Whether the property has
not want to give their personal numbers, because there
been mortgaged or not? Whether the title is clean or
are clients who will sometimes call, and ask for
not. So, you send your staff, or you yourself will go
questions and even tell stories. They assume that
directly to the ROD. That alone is not a practice of law.
because they did not go to the office, the lawyer will
As long as you are not giving legal advice as to the legal
not charge. So, if you are the lawyer, you can send them
effects of the document.
an invoice, saying, “conversation, so and so, date, and
Like when you say that this title has an the amount”, then you send it to the client.
encumbrance. So, what are we going to do attorney?
Of course, not all clients are like the ones who go to
So, you’ll give an advice, like you have to institute a case
your office, have some chit chat, but somehow, they
to clean the title, or how to get rid of an encumbrance.
are actually fishing for some legal advice. But, there are
That is already giving a legal advice, and a lawyer-client
also good paying clients, and that you have to take care
relationship already arises. You are already practicing
of these paying clients.
law.

3. Work involves a clerical labor of filling in the blanks

on stereotyped form or a mere mechanical act of
copying from a file copy or finished documents which
involves no legal thing, is not considered legal practice.
So, this mere involves mechanical act. No advice was
given. So, if you are ask, if attorney can you help me in
filling up an application form maybe for an insurance
application form. You can argue that, that was not a
practice of law. I merely help and assisted the client in
filling up the application form, and answering the
questions one-by-one. So this is a kind of assistance that
you give a person, but you will not be considered as
someone who is practicing law.
Second, basis for filing action for usurpation of official
functions against one, who not being a member of the
bar duly licensed to practice law by the SC, represents
himself as a lawyer to the public and performs acts
pertaining to a lawyer by means of deception to the
prejudice of the bar and the public.
The person you are not to, later on, you discover, is not
really a lawyer, or is not supposed to be practicing law,
so, you can file an action for usurpation of official
functions.

Under Rule 16.01 of the Code of Ethics and

Responsibility:
Determination of whether or not an individual is
practicing law or not.

CANON 16 - A LAWYER SHALL HOLD IN TRUST ALL

MONEYS AND PROPERTIES OF HIS CLIENT THAT MAY
Why is that important? Why do we have to ask COME INTO HIS PROFESSION.
ourselves, “am I practicing law?” Why?

First, we have to consider the fact “am I entitled to

collect attorneys fees?” If you are dispensing advice,
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
Rule 16.01 - A lawyer shall account for all money
or property collected or received for or from the client.
If you are an administrator of an estate, you have the
titles with you, you have many responsibilities, you
have administrative responsibilities, you have to make
sure that the taxes are paid, that the properties are
earning properties, that the rents were collected. So,
with all these responsibilities, you are entitled to a fee.
You have to be paid with a fee. And that fee will be paid
by any income the estate has. That is why it is very
important to separate you monies and income from the
monies and income of your client.
So, what will you do if your client thinks that your
lawyer-client relationship will be a long one, so, he
deposited a hundred thousand to cover all the expenses
you may have in dealing with his legal problems. So, you
must have a separate trust fund, there must be a
separate accounting of your client’s funds from your
office and own funds.
If you are an administrator of an estate, you must
render regular accounting to avoid confusion. In order
to make sure that there is a proper separation of funds
and properties.
Lawyers who appropriates their clients’ funds are
violating their professional ethics, and code of
professional responsibility.
A big law firm composed of 15-20 lawyers, in the states,
a big law firm, nationwide, may be around 500 lawyers;
a mid-size lawyer may be around a hundred lawyers, a
small size lawyer, maybe around, 5 to 10 lawyers.
So, when you have big law firms, you have different
departments, different specialties, you have tax, realty,
labor, litigation, environment, corporate, etc.
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Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
Area of litigation handled by those who specialized in
litigation, they do not actually have this delineation
whether be it criminal or civil cases, because the only
difference id the amount of proof needed.
So, there are firms that may be hired by clients, like for
example Apple and Microsoft. So, what if your clients
tell you that they want you to be their exclusive
lawyers, so, when you say yes to one of them, you will
have to say goodbye to one of them
So, we have this what we call ethical wall, or also
called the Chinese wall where certain sections of your
law firm are barred from knowing what the other
departments have, such as any documents or
information about their clients. They cannot look on the
data base that includes the pleadings filed by the
partners of the other section. This is done to prevent
conflict of interest, unless you get the written consent
of your clients.
So, as a solo practitioner, you will also encounter clients
that are like that, but just remember that, if you feel
that there is conflict of interest, you have to make sure,
and you want your client not to go away, you have to
get the written consent of your other client.
Now, options for lawyer:
1. Solo Private Practice
 Advantages:
a. You’re the own boss, you have to log in or out.
b. working hour is manageable
You can go to the office any time you want.
c. You can handle and choose how much workload you
want to accept
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
You can choose the case you want to handle. You
design your own system, since you are your own boss.
You are the own boss, but, at the end of the day, you
hold responsible to the success of your solo practice.
d. You can choose your own clients
 What are the disadvantages?
a. it is a maiden practice and it does not yield a lot
of clients because no client will go to lawyer
without reputation
b. must build network of referrals from families
and friends
c. “feast or famine income”
d. All expenses are shouldered by solo practitioner
e. No extra support when pressed for time
f. Both administrative and legal concerns will
burden the solo practice
It is your first time after passing the bar. Like, what if
you set up an office near Ecoland, Davao City. You put
up some signs that you specialized in different fields,
separation cases, civil law, criminal law, and any other
schemes. You are not supposed to do that, but some of
the other lawyers try to be creative. Those were signs
that add up to your reputation. So anyway, you set up
an office, your first client would be your families and
friends. And there would be cases that you do not know
the solution, so you have to study the facts of the case,
because being in a solo practice, you have no one to
help you other than yourself.
You do the case, communication. Of course, you have to
have your secretary, process server. You have to have
these people after someone opens your door, if you
don’t want to see yourself serving this documents to
other lawyer’s office. It’s good if you do not really care
about it. But, if your objective is to get as many clients
as you can, you must set up a system already. What if
you have a client meeting in Marco Polo, a hearing in
Davao del Sur? Who’s there to help you?
Like you are the one who applies for certification, other
documents and papers. That is why new bar passers do
not go to solo practice immediately.
9
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
2. Assistant or associate in a private law firm
a. Generally offers better opportunities
In working as an associate in a private law firm,
offers new opportunities. Usually formed by
batchmates and classmates in law school. Sometimes,
there are lawyers who can get good clients, so these
existing law firms hire you.
b. Existing partnership usually have financial
capability to defray overhead expenses of
maintaining a law office.
So, if the firm has been in existence like about 10
years, they have already number of clients that can help
in the payment of rent, the staff, office supplies. You
have to make sure that your staff is happy because you
have to work as a team. And when your staff will leave,
you have to train all over again.
What are usually overhead expenses? Water, rent,
office supplies, salary of your staff, the janitors. It does
not help if your office is not neat. Even if you have a
small office, it must be organized and presentable for
your client. That your clients will not be offered with
plastic chairs.
PARTNERS
 Partners agree on articles of
partnership/financial agreements to avoid
future misunderstanding (e.g. how to bring in
income the partnerships; how to divide income
for clients they have individually brought in;
discuss expectations).
 Partners agree on how to contribute to the cost
of operations (rents, staff, utilities, office
supplies, including information technology)
Some of the more complicated partnerships, they invest
so much that they get points out of this invested. So
they can argue that I brought this much client, thus, I
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
got this much points, and then, you can demand a
higher pay. The points will be the basis of your share.
That is if you are a partner. If you are an associate, you
have a fixed salary as an associate.
In other law firms they have an agreement as to where
will the money from the notarial funds go, usually, it is
placed in the common funds of the partnership. So if
you are a ten-lawyer firm, you have to make sure that
you have an organized structure. Somebody has to be
assigned as to the day-to-day operation, so someone
has to be a managing partner. The managing partner
oversees the money of the firm, the overall person.
Then you have to have a human resource partner, not
somebody who has a Ph D in human resource, just
someone who will address the concern as to human
resources. He will oversee the appointment of staff,
how to dress in the office. This may not be a legal
concern, but this boils down to the core of the office.
Happy office, happy staff.
Then we have a general counsel, or somebody who will
oversee if there are conflicts of interests in handling the
cases. If there are conflicts of interest, he shall be the
one to decide on who will handle the case or represent
the client.
Then we have a chief financial officer. Make sure that
your books are updated, and have an accounting of
your income. So, your financial department will also be
the one to oversee whether or not your firm is earning.
Because if you are not earning you cannot expand. If
you are earning, maybe you have plans of transferring
to a bigger office. It would be a lot better when the
chief financial officer is not a lawyer at all, because he
will just tell you straight that you just need to bill more.
What he is after is that you must bring more clients.
And it can also be an accountant that you just hire per
period to do the accounting.
10
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
Then, you may need a marketing professional, if
necessary, who will be assigned in communications and
in bringing more clients. Advertising is not supposed to
be ethical, but there are ways in going around that. You
can be creative. Sometimes, we lawyers we tend to be
modest of our achievements, but if you have four
children to send to Ateneo de Davao, you need a lot of
money. While young, you must be more aggressive, you
must be out there presenting yourself, you must bring
in more clients, because this will translate to income,
people engaging your services.
You won’t like to turn down any client. You deal with
one case, and then you develop such expertise. It is
manner of presenting yourself. Wrapping yourself, not
with myth, but you can study each case. You learn as
you go along.
3. Joining a corporate law department
Option of being a legal officer in corporation law
department, we are talking about corporations. Like in
Coca-Cola, they have external counsel. When they think
that they will need a lot of lobbying, they tap partners
who are prominent in the society, or have lobbying
powers. But such corporations have their internal
counsel or general counsel.
The nice thing of being a lawyer, unlike other
professions, after you finished banking and finance, you
get hired by a bank, you have to go up through the
ladder. A lawyer, in the organizational structure, is
immediately under the office of the president. Because
the president usually needs the services of lawyers.
Generally, position offers higher compensation and
other pecuniary and fringe benefits not usually enjoyed
in private practice (large law firms through creating
their own fringe benefit package like health cards.)
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
 Disadvantages
1. Difficult to a lawyer to switch to private practice
because of financial considerations.
People working for business corporations
hesitate to go to private practice because they
are giving up high compensation.
2. Work is limited by the legal concerns or
business of the employer; some employers
allow their lawyers engage in private practice
on the side but a rarity than a regular practice.
3. In formal law departments, the head lawyer is
referred as general counsel who carries the
responsibility as director or officer of
corporation.
The head lawyer reports directly to the
president. The usual basis of sectioning is the
 Other Disadvantages (c/o Barte)
legal subject matter – for instance tax,
corporate affairs, real estate, litigation, patents,
labor, immigration, and insurance. In some
corporate department, there is some kind of
formal sectioning is done by administrative,
individual corporate subsidiaries, civil, law,
criminal law special proceedings under litigation
section.
Every corporate law department adopts a
system by which lawyer’s work is assigned. The
corporate policy must be to comply with the
law as the law department construes it and all
officers and other management employees and
all the lawyers in the law department must
know this is to be the case (O’meana, 12 the
Business Lawyer)
11
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
How do you join a corporate law? It can either
be:
a) referrals;
b) recruitments; or
c) pluck out of private practice.
Future of a lawyer in a corporate employer
Law department careers are usually put in
favorable lights with stress on how varied,
import and exciting are the legal problems dealt
y a corporate counsel, the excellent
opportunities for advancement, with allusions
to prospects of ultimately moving up into
management, and the favorable financial
remuneration including starting salaries,
regular salary increases, and such
supplementary fringe benefits as bonuses and
stock options.
1.lesser chance of doing litigation work
Corporate lawyers, they do not see each
other anymore, while those in litigation,
they see each other in court.
2.isolation of many corporate lawyers from
professional contacts outside the company
and busily engaged in its daily routine as to
lose lawyer’s sense of proportion of
craftsmanship in approaching legal
problems and to substitute off-the-cuff
impressions
3.hard legal study and analysis are usually
encountered by private practitioners
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
Your drive to know more is not as much as
those in private practice. Imagine that when
you pass the bar, you think you no longer
need to study. No, it is a constant discipline.
4. Government employment (government offices and
institutions, and GOCCs)
It is the biggest single employer of lawyers. Government
is always a fall back for those who can’t find their luck in
private practice.
Government employment covers all branches such as
constitutional commissions. The DOJ is the mother
department of the prosecution service – Sol Gen,
Government Corporate Counsel, PAO. The judiciary
departments, GOCCs and other governmental
institutions, in the provincial and municipal positions,
the legislative departments which involves policy-
making in both Houses. So, hindi talaga ako maniwal if
there is someone who is an unemployed lawyer, sobra
naman yun. (LOL!)
 Advantages
1. Steady income – future GSIS pension
2. Not as stressful as private
3. Room for advancement in bureaucracy
4. For women, accommodate domestic schedule
5. Develops expertise for private practice
6. Salary depends on salary grade, but generally
high
 Disadvantage
1. You get stuck up to your job
It is because with a well paying salary, you find
it difficult to leave the same employment which
guarantees you future security like being
entitled to a GSIS pension upon retirement.
- Carell Ryza Nartatez-
12
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
Legal Counselling
July 9, 2012
Chartering an ideal law Office: Putting a new law office
-were talking maybe after 4 years or 5 years and you
have set aside an amount to fund your own law office.
Even it is just a small law office; it is still an expensive
undertaking to run. You need office staff like
messenger, secretary etc.
Physical set up – where to build your law office.
Location is very important. You should be near the
location of big clients. Nowadays I can see law firms just
beside a cafeteria, or hardware or automotive store.
These clients may need notarization of documents from
time to time. Not necessarily in a high rise building or in
a second floor building. As long as you can bring in
clients, that’s okay. Law practice is a very noble
profession.
I know of a law office where the wife runs a beauty
salon and from the outside you can see a sign XYZ law
firm. So a law office operates there. This is done maybe
to cut the cost. You combine business to have only 1
rental.
You have to have a good staff. May telephone courtesy,
may office niceties. Especially Filipinos do not have that
telephone courtesy. Teach your staff office manners.
Office staffs that are not nagging each other all the
time, too noisy like NCCC sales staff.
In my office in Canada, it is so quiet that even if a pin
dropped, you can hear it. People just work and do not
chat at each other. Do not allow your staff wearing flip-
flops (with toe nails uncut) while roaming around the
office.
What must an ideal office have?
 Is the office appropriately indentified or
accessible? With huge names on top of the
building to show people that there is a law
office. Some clients just walk in if they wanted a
document to be notarized. so if your location is
okay, it would really help.
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
 Does it present a neat appearance? Are the files
properly set aside/organized?
 Is there an ample room? Every inch of your real
property must be utilized. Have a space to walk
around.
 Is the ventilation adequate? The aircon is
functioning or at least with an electric fan
 Are walls attractively decorated? This will show
your personality. Try to avoid cutie cutie stuff.
They would be nice if they are just accent in a
table. They are okay for a pediatrician. Just put
paintings (even a reproduction) with nice
frames. To show that you a professional lawyer.
 Are offices cleaned regularly? If you enter a
lease agreement you should ask if they provide
someone to clean the office or it is you who
have to be responsible for that
 Do you provide for drinking water facilities for
the client and staff? If a beauty parlor can
provide for iced tea, no reason that a law office
cannot do so. Tell your assistant to offer the
client something to drink especially if they have
to wait.
 Parking facilities.
 Washroom faculties.
 Reading materials ( legitimate newspaper or
others)
 Have a conference room to discuss confidential
matter. Remember the rule on confidentiality of
agreement between you and client. Your staff
must sign a confidentiality agreement. Warned
them that if confidential matters leak, they may
be held liable too. Make your staff aware that
information that comes to the office especial
from clients must be treated with utmost
confidentiality.
 Library – for your SCRA, law books. Even just a
small table with book case.
13
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
 Do you discard obsolete books? You may keep
old books for reference but have an updated
copies
 Are books maintained in good repair. But with
the advent of e-books or other software you
can have them. But iba ang dating ng physical
books than an e-book especially in dealing with
clients.
 Equipment – (typewriters, adding machine,
computers, photocopiers). For photocopiers, if
you buy it, you will be stack with that machine
forever and pay a repairman if there is a need. If
you just rent, its kind a expensive but at least
you are assured that they will maintain it daily
and update for a new version when you renew
your contracts. In my experience, big law firms
tent to rent photocopy machines. They treat it
like just water and light. They want the latest
technology and not stack with the machine. You
can replace it whenever you want.
For your computers or wifi, you need it since internet is
part of an office already. A big chunk of your work is
lessened by internet and you work efficiently. You also
need adding machines, and typewriters. Whether you
like it or not, you need typewriters. Especially
government forms which can only be filled by
typewriters but at least an electric typewriters.
 Inter office communication – fax machine,
scanner because some clients do scan
documents and send thru email. You have to be
fast, technologically updated.
 Technologically compatible – software for huge
document like advance adobe program for
scanning and storing data. You can do a lot of
things with that software for easy retrieval of
voluminous data.
 Software on accounting, book keeping.
 Train your staff to be accommodating (like “ay
dili man na mahimo mam/sir”) staff should be
trained to become problem solver. Try to do
something out of the box.
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
Opening a law office
In opening a law office this also means organization.
You have to be organized because that is the key to
efficiency. You have to design your system on how you
do it. Each and everyone have their own style. But
everybody should have an efficient filing system.
FILING SYSTEM
o Lawyer will design the filing system for his easy
access.
o Major categories of files:
 Client files
 Accounting files
 Admin files
If you have a good and efficient secretary it would take
half a load off your back. You will just think on your
legal issues. A good assistant will always keep track of
the deadlines, billings and others. You don’t have to
think of those things.
Client files –
• Must contain folders (expandable files) up to 2
inches. In North America, they have these
things which can expand up to 5 inches. That is
the basic file folder.
• Folders for client contact details, general
correspondence, billing address and contact
numbers, email addresses of client especially if
it’s a big office client. Sometimes office
addresses are not the billing address. You have
to update your files. Print those important
emails.
• If litigation file, make folders for pleading. You
have to subdivide files if it is already a big file. If
other people will work on your files, hindi
14
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
magkakawalaan. You should be able to track
who’s getting what.
• Numbering of folders, number of bellows. If you
have a smart assistant, she should find ways to
be able to organize the files.
• Color coding of folders ( example: white for
general correspondence, red for billings, the
rest are brown folders)
Accounting files - You have to know your accounting
files if you’re earning or not. So that you know your
collectibles or how much your payables are. Some big
firms have chief financial officers, they are not lawyers.
They just look into your performance if you’re earning
money for the firm or having problematic accounts.
• Separate from the accounts folder. You have to
have a book keeper to check your payables or
receivables. Do not make your assistant your
book keeper baka maging hawak ka nya sa leeg.
• Office accounting for clients. Always deposit
any money that coming in. Account all funds
especially client money.
• Salary of staff. That is in your accounting. Even
you, you have to give yourself a salary. Do not
treat it as your money. Think like you are also
an employee of that firm. So that you will be
able to know which fund is your profit or
income of your office. Most solo practitioners
are confused. They do not have financial plans;
they mixed funds so they cannot determine
their income. You have to distant yourself from
the law office. Give yourself allowances (for
coffee with client and other expensed) and
account for it.
• Account receivables / accounts payables.
Bookkeepers shall fix this and you shoud not
worry baka maputulan ka dahil may red bills
• Overhead expenses and government fees.
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
Administrative file
• Personnel folder – must sign confidentiality of
agreement; depending on how efficient the
organization should be.
• Membership in professional organization – IBP,
or other local chapters.
• Publications (articles written and published)
part of their professional development. This is
also a way of advertising your expertise. There
is this publication in America where your law
firms are published but you have to pay for it.
This is regarding the expertise, so the
publication rates the law firms according to
expertise so as the lawyer. This is for
recognition.
• Marketing – this is about sponsorships.
• Office lease agreement.
• Information technology.
Calendar System
 Must set up calendar system in the office. This
is for deadlines, schedule for the day or week or
appearances in court. So that you assistant can
monitor you.
 This could be done electronically.
 Deadline for pleadings must also be monitored.
Arranged according to the most pressing.
 The following week’s schedule should be
finalized on the Friday of the previous week and
this shall be given to lawyer. Usually the
secretary print the calendar on the Thursday so
that on the Friday the lawyer knows his
schedule and he can make use of the weekend
if there is a need rush something. The assistant
must know your schedule
15
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
Electronic Data Bank
 Supreme court decision – you can buy software
for some providers
 Word processer - for templates etc
 Billing
 Accounting
 Office networking
 Avail software applications for efficiency -
bookkeeping
- Philip Galagar –
Legal Counselling
August 2, 2012
CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT:
Express or implied, verbal or written
In case of series of work for the client
Discharged without cause: entitled to full compensation
With cause: not entitled to compensation either under
contract or basis of quantum meruit
If abandons case or withdraws without justifiable cause
before its termination, unless with consent of client
Contingent fee contract
As long as contract is not tainted with fraud, undue
influence, mistake or suppresion of facts on the part of
the lwyer terms of contract shall be implemented
against the portion of the client's property subject of
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
the contract but only if the suit or litigtion is favorble to
the client
If case is lost, no payment of fee
If fee agreed upon is unconscionable, court may step in
to make it reasonable
Other factors:
Other unexpected incidents like filing and arguing a
motion, estimated time and effort to be spent for
arguments
Expenses to be incured in erfecting an appeal,
preparation of appeal briefs,
Business-like approach in fixing and payment of attys
fees
Delays must be explained to the client
Bottomline: transparency
Business developing/ marketing for law practitioners
Getting your name out there
Big law offices have rainmakers, the rest pf lawyers do
not develo their books of business
Aim for sustainability of practice
- to achieve success in their legal careers
- to promote growth of their law offices
Strategies: marketing is a contact sport
- pursue profile and confidence-builidng activities
E.g speaking engagements, publishing articles, etc
16
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
Establish targets: identify types of works and clients,
and identify specific audiences and communities that
will allow the interface with the lawyer
Identify 3-4 Business devt activities in a year
- something lawyer likes and does nturally
- get active in
Trade orgs
Support execution- report back and follow-through
Track results- vis- a-vis your financial plan so success
can be measured
Canadian lawyer magazine feb 20, 2012
Marketing of services: draw a marketing plan
Impt considerations:
- know what your clients value
- know your goals- short, long-term
- know resources- how much money can you spend in
marketing
- focus your resources to your target segment
4 Ps of Marketing
1. Product: identify a need, then provide a service that
adresses that need uniquely. Don't be a "me, too" law
firm, create a quality product or service
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER 17
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles

2. Place: a question of access, physical access, also sure the client is satisfied with this
consider the internet (this has re arrangement; misunderstanding must
be clarified right away
Defined physical acess)

When you kind a grasp already what you are supposed

3. Price: this is the entry point; allows your cients to see to work on then you have to tell the client the scope of
if they can continue their relationship with your office your work, what you can do and what you cant do and
make sure the client is satisfied with this arrangement
and misunderstanding should clarified right away.

4. Promotion: within thebounds allowed by ethical rules

(advertising your name in magazines, referrals, etc
So if there are misunderstanding like
akalakobaattykasama yang out of pocket expenses sa
lawyers fee nanapag-usapanna, akalakobahindi nay an
Never take more clients than you can handle with loving ichargesaamin. So the 1stinstance clarify it right away.
care

For endless referrals, build relationships to last. Keep

your friends close and your enemies closer, you never - Personal demeanor and behaviour of lawyer
noe where that referral will come from. towards the client

When building your business strategies, keep in mind o Doing a good job not enough;
the client perspective foremost in both delivering and
marketing our legal services

The practives of law is a business and pleasing the There are some lawyers come in different sizes, there
customer benefits the customer and lawyer. are lawyers very gorgeous, very dignified, there is also
like the justice secretary (I suggest not to follow her )
you don’t have to advertised that you are a lawyer very
stiff even with wearing scrap but I do like scrap but
-Raia Tumanda- since Sec De Lima wear it every time I will find another
accessory. 
Legal Counselling

August 6, 2012
Men lawyers who like to sa end pa langng hall of justice
Keeping Clients
shouting agadpanyero, there are lawyers paluoi2x
langug dating, you know if you are a lawyer you should
be able to stand up and have that confident personality
- Protect and nurture the relationship but not to the point of being boastful.

o Client is boss

o Define relationship from the start, Your behaviour and appearance really matters in
things you will do and do not do; make dealing with the client, do you inspire the client? Do you
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
appear like the client trust you? Do you have clean
finger nails? All this class will matter so you need to be
professional in your appearance, bakanaman you went
to the office perohindinakaplantsaanginyong polo &
barong so it is not enough to do a good job.
Example meronka motion din you are with your client in
the court pro sasabihinng client mabaho man siAttyoi,
panalongaang motion mo pro
nahirapannamnhumingaang client so doing a good job
is not enough.
Human nature always calls for sympathy, so when you
go to doctors din you are explaining already lahatng
feelings mo pro parangwlalng so mainiskatalaga so dpat
you must be sympathetic to your client.
Example your client was confronted with credit card
debt and has been sued for collection also needs a
sympathetic hear ear, so
huwagmonamansabihinnacgeka man gudgastos so
knggibayarannanimowlanauntaproblema, you should
not say that. You should say may be by the time you
have a money we can settle half of this we do not have
to go to the next hearing, meron pa man yang
mediation wag
namansabihinbamalakinaitomasyadomalakina interest
nito bah! So pag-ganun goodbye law practice.
o Friendliness; promptness (no
procrastination); courtesy, respect for
clients; business-like attitude;
consideration in keeping the clients informed or
updated;
Friendliness is very important. Kung ang client mo finds
it so hard to express himself in English wag karinnaman
18
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
mgenglish2x, pgbinasaya sad what is important is that
he understands you.
Promptness is also important, do not procrastinate
because we lawyers we live by deadlines. So lawyers
their professional life run by deadlines so do not
procrastinate. Some lawyers pag-early pa dli pa
mgworkang mind then pag4pm nadhanamgcge dictate
sa secretary so who suffers from the pressure of the
deadline? You poor secretary suffers because eventually
she would be the one typing or filing so that is unfair!
Courtesy. We Filipinos it is not innate in us namagthank
you paranganghirapngmgthank you bah. But if it is with
the client you have to be courteous.
o Availability at all times, telephone
calls, emails, text messages
Always remember that if you communicate with the
client make sure you have a hard copy, because there is
no substitute for documentary evidence yungmga text
nabuburayan. In North America for example they issue
subpoena ducestecum through emails so they will print
that hindiyannawawala.
Whether you like it or not you cannot say that when the
client is calling in 11pm you will end the call, yun pa
naman client who are calling because they need
something or they remember something to tell you all
of the sudden, you have to answer it because some
client will be irritated because they think they are
paying but they cannot reach you. But of course after
you answer the call you can say to your client that such
matter can be attended in the nest day such be made in
a very polite and diplomatic matter.
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER
- Keeping the clients informed on what:
o Update of case or matter subject of
retainership
So say what is there is nothing going on the case, you
still send the client about the status of the case
Let us say after the hearing this week you must send
client a status letter regarding the status of the case.
The whole point of sending the client letters so that
your client will be impressed of your industry and of
course with the industry comes the billing statement.
o Prompt response to inquiries (re
billing; status of the case)
So for a case namatagalmatapos, like a simple civil case
is 2 to 3 years, so as much as you wanted the client to
know the status of the case you must also clarify with
him the billing or expenses like the photocopy,
peroyungmga status letters mo wag
mongichargebakasabihinng client naAtty wag
kanalngmgsendng status letter. 
So you have to update and don’t be late in your billing,
or don’t delay as long as you have like the itemized
expenses for your client and the description of the work
done then that would be good enough to bill the client.
Of course your status letters must also be filed, there
must be a separate folder for that.
19
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles
o Opening alternatives or options to
client for speedy disposition of cases
You may discuss the clients with the status of the case
like after six months there is a possibility of entering
into compromise with the adverse party, you should
discuss this with the client. You should not say
natapusintalaga naming ang case bapanalotayo, pro
talonamansyasaattys fees. So to be fair and to show
your client that you are in good faith you must discuss
this with him.
o Bringing client abreast of development
in area concern
This is true with specially to the corporate clients like
their area of business are politically sensitive, like a
mining firms, so the lawyers should keep track with
regards to the bills in congress. So if your client is a big
entity and it seems that they will affected by legislation,
by local legislation like zoning you have to tell your
client that is part of your service. Especially if you are
the retainer of the client.
o Transparency in billing
When you sent your statement make you must detailed
there the work undertaken during the past period.
- Train personnel or support staff for
professionalism; must understand pressure of
legal work and confidential nature of work.
 LEGAL COUNSELLING 1ST EXAMINATION REVIEWER 20
Based on the lectures of Atty. Cecilia Angeles

Do not think that keeping the client only your office but there are also are so particular of the offices.
relationship with him that matters, it is not, it should be Make sure there is a room there wherein you can make
the whole office. So kungang assistant conversation without being heard by the entire office.
momasyadongmabagal that will reflect on you right? So
make you’re your assistant/staff are properly train they - Rosalie Nuneza-
must know and appreciate the kind of pressure that
they have and they must be courteous, respectful and
must know the confidential nature of the nature of the
work.

So you must also train your staff that they should be

professional in dealing with your clients. They should
also know that when there would be deadlines they
may end up working late, they should be able to have a
proper conversation.

- Must always be in touch with the staff; staff

should be trained to handle with clients who
always need asap attention

Now, when you get to be out there playing golf, but you
ought to be reachable by your assistant. You cannot just
leave your phone in the clubhouse because that is not
good your client might go crazy trying to reach you. So
for as long as there is a signal you must be reached.
Make sure that you should answer the text messages of
your client you may be not personally answered it but
you can ask your assistant to answer for you.

What the client really appreciates is the quick response.

If there is a valid reason to call you so answer it and
discuss it may be over the phone.

- Office must be conclusive for private

conference

The office must be a nice place to deal business with.

There are clients you don’t mind the appearance of the