MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has suspended the rule which requires rookie lawyers to render free legal services for poor litigants.
In a resolution dated September 3, the SC suspended the implementation of the Community Legal Aid Service (CLAS) Rule due to the enforcement of the Revised Student Practice Rule, among other reasons.
The Court En Banc also ordered the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to “refer back the cases currently assigned to CLAS-covered lawyers to the supervising IBP lawyers.”
The revised student practice rule was approved by the Supreme Court en banc during its session last June 25.
Under the revised rule, law students can engage in a limited practice of law once they have completed their first-year law courses.
They will be under the supervision of a lawyer./ac