Why BR?

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.