FAQ

We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about our Baer Reed legal process outsourcing services. If you would like additional information on any of these topics or our services, contact us today.

What is Baer Reed?

Baer Reed is a boutique legal process outsourcer (“LPO”) specializing in document review and legal support services. It was founded by former attorneys from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and DLA Piper to address the need for lower-cost legal support services performed at U.S. standards.

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Outsourced Legal Services & Business Support

Baer Reed Services

Baer Reed has become the leading woman-owned professional services outsourcing company with a specialty in applying our core competencies to complex, highly regulated industries. Our proven project model brings workflow and cost efficiencies to support various areas of organizations. We also use our legal expertise to provide additional value to organizations. Baer Reed’s business support services can relieve the internal resource strain on various operational departments.

And unlike many other outsourced legal services providers, Baer Reed works with licensed attorneys in the Philippines, where legal standards are similar to the United States. Graduates of Philippine law schools receive a legal education very similar to the legal education offered in the U.S. Like law schools in the U.S., law schools in the Philippines require that applicants attend an undergraduate institution and earn a bachelor’s degree prior to being considered for admission.

Why do companies outsource?

AS A COST CUTTING TOOL
59%
TO ENABLE FOCUS ON CORE BUSINESS
57%
TO SOLVE CAPACITY ISSUES
47%
TO ENHANCE SERVICE QUALITY
31%
BECAUSE IT IS CRITICAL TO BUSINESS NEEDS
28%
FOR ACCESS TO INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL
28%
FOR MANAGING BUSINESS ENVIRONMENTS
17%
TO DRIVE BROADER TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE
17%

* DATA ACCORDING TO DELOITTE 2016 SURVEY

COMPARING LEGAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

When researching outsourced legal services, it is important to understand the qualifications of the support team you partner with.
There are extensive requirements for attorneys in the Philippines, especially as compared to India.
The chart below outlines the differences.

PhilippinesIndia
.
.
Required: 8 years undergraduate / graduate law school
(Similar to United States)
Required: 5-year integrated program (BA/LLB)
Optional: 3-year post-BA program (LLB)
.
.
Most eligible to take U.S. bar exam (NY/CA) without obtaining a U.S. L.L.M. degreeMust obtain L.L.M. degree in U.S. before eligible to take U.S. bar exam (NY/CA).
.
.
> 4-day bar exam required.
> Current exam is a mix of legal writing and multiple-choice questions based on the NY bar exam.
> No bar exam before 2011.
> 3.5-hour open book exam – composed of 100 multiple-choice questions (no legal writing) instituted in 2011 for new graduates only.
.
.
Exam conducted in English.Exam does not need to be taken in English.
.
.
Overall average score of 75% with no grade falling below 50% in any single subject.Minimum required score is 40% (40 out of 100).

Like their U.S. counterparts, graduates of Philippine law schools earn a professional degree. Philippine law schools generally offer two types of professional degrees: a Bachelor of Laws and a Juris Doctor. Both professional degrees require successful completion of an undergraduate degree followed by a four-year graduate law program.

Similar to law schools in the U.S., Philippine law schools have their own mandatory curriculum for first year students. That curriculum typically includes courses in Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legal Research, and Legal Writing. Philippine law school courses place an emphasis on legal research, legal thinking, and the law, generally throughout the country.

All Philippine law schools use the English language as their medium of instruction. All textbooks and reference materials are written in English, and all oral and written examinations and lectures are conducted in English. Graduates of Philippine law schools must be fluent in and have a superior understanding of the English language, because laws in the Philippines are written in English.

Learn more about Baer Reed’s outsourced legal services leadership team.

Philippine Bar Exam

75%
Min. Passing Grade
50%
No Single Subject Can Be Under
8 Years
Undergraduate & Graduate Study
26.28%
Examinees Pass Bar

Similarities with U.S. Legal Standards

The Code of Professional Responsibility for the Philippines, which is the ethical rules governing the practice of law in the country, is based on the Model Rules of Professional Conduct of the American Bar Association. Notably, there is no significant difference between the way the attorney-client privilege and the professional obligation of confidentiality operate in the Philippines and the United States. The ethical rules in both jurisdictions ensure communications between attorneys and their clients are protected, within the bounds of law, from disclosure. Moreover, in the Philippines, violation of a lawyer’s duty to a client subjects the lawyer, not only to disbarment, but also to potential imprisonment and/or civil fines.
Philippine law school graduates undergo a very stringent process to become lawyers and must pass the Philippine Bar Examination in order to practice law. The Philippine Bar Exam is a rigorous exam, conducted in English, that tests examinees’ knowledge of eight topics. Many examinees do not pass the exam.

To ensure the quality of lawyers, the Supreme Court of the Philippines requires, among other things, that applicants take the Philippine Bar Exam: be citizens of the Philippines, be of good moral character, and have no cases involving moral turpitude filed against them. Applicants must also prove they completed a bachelor’s degree before attending law school, regularly studied law for four years, and successfully completed all prescribed courses at an accredited law school.

The Philippine Bar Exam is held annually on four consecutive Sundays. During the four days of examination, the examinee’s knowledge and mastery of the following subjects are tested: constitutional law, labor law, civil law, tax law, mercantile law, criminal law, remedial law, and legal ethics. Because the exam is conducted in English, the examinees have to prove their mastery of both the law and the English language.

In order to pass the Philippine Bar Exam, examinees must have an overall average of approximately 75%, and cannot have a grade less than 50% in any single subject tested on the exam. Examinees who meet the required overall average but grade below 50% in any subject are considered disqualified and must retake the exam. From 2001-2016, only 26.28% of all examinees passed the Philippine Bar Examination.

Unlike attorneys from other countries from other countries, Philippine lawyers have consistently been allowed to take the California and New York bar exams without the need for additional education at an ABA-approved law school. Many Philippine lawyers hold New York or California bar licenses.

Because the Philippines is a former United States territory, its legal system is modeled in large part on the U.S. legal system. Many Philippine laws are derived from the laws of the United States and are very similar, if not identical, to their U.S. counterparts. In fact, many areas of law in the Philippines are almost exact reproductions of U.S. laws, which makes Philippine attorneys very familiar with U.S. laws and the structure of the U.S. legal system.

The Philippines has a hybrid legal system that combines common law principles with a civil law system. The application of stare decisis in the Philippine civil law system is an example of this combination. Philippine courts cite their previous holdings and the principle themselves as the basis for deciding cases that have similar facts and legal issues. Additionally, Philippine judges often quote U.S. court decisions and judges’ opinions in support of their own decisions. This system of judicial precedent, derived from the U.S. system, means lawyers in the Philippines are comfortable with case-based legal research and writing.

Lawyers in the Philippines, as in many U.S. states, are required to supplement their legal education with continuing legal education. After graduating from law school and passing the Philippine Bar Examination, members of the Philippine Bar are required to take mandatory continuing legal education in order to remain in good standing and continue practicing law. Under the Rules on Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), every three years, Philippine attorneys are required to complete at least 36 hours of continuing legal education activities approved by the MCLE Committee.

Considering Outsourced Legal Services? Contact Us

Considering Outsourced Legal Services?

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