MCLE Compliance for New Lawyers

In the previous post on the extension of the compliance period (to 1 January 2009) for Bar Matter 1922, Alpha_Mike and Orbil inquired about the rule applicable to new lawyers. This is covered by MCLE Governing Board Order No. 1, s. 2008, which pertinently provides:

“. . . lawyers who pass the Bar when only four (4) months or less remain of the compliance period, are exempted from complying with the MCLE requirement for the said compliance period. They shall comply with the MCLE requirements for the next compliance period.

However, lawyers who are admitted to the Bar either one (1) year after the start of the current compliance period, or two (2) years after the start of the said compliance period, are required to comply with the MCLE requirements in accordance with the MCLE Governing Board resolution dated October 20, 2004, i.e. those admitted one year after the start of the current compliance period must comply with two-thirds (2/3) if the credit units required (24 c.u.) for that period; while those admitted two (2) years after the start of the compliance period should comply with one-third (1/3) of the required credit unit (12 c.u.)

There are three questions that would immediately come to mind: (1) What is the current compliance period? The third compliance period is from April 2007 to April 2010; (2) When is a lawyer “admitted to the Bar”? A MCLE Board staff said it’s the signing of the roll of attorneys; and (3) What will I indicate in the pleading if I’m exempted because I “pass[ed] the Bar when only four months or less remain of the compliance period”? That same staff also mentioned that the new lawyer could indicate “Exempted, pursuant to MCLE Governing Board Order No. 1, s. 2008″. Perhaps someone could verify the answer to question No. 3.

37 Responses to “MCLE Compliance for New Lawyers”


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  1. 37 Ryan Jun 30th, 2009 at 9:23 am

    LegalAdvantage MCLE Lecture Series 34

    Venue : Romulo Hall, NEDA Makati Building
    Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City
    July 23, 24, 29, 30, 2009

    ———–

    DAY 1 : JULY 23, 2009 THURSDAY

    8:00AM - 10:00AM JUDGE SELMA ALARAS
    Trial and Pre-Trial Skills
    ADR during Pre-Trial (2CU)

    10:15AM - 12:15PM ATTORNEY RICARDO PC CASTRO
    Legal Writing and Oral Advocacy
    Oral Advocacy (2CU)

    01:00PM - 04:00PM ATTORNEY EMMANUEL CAPARAS
    Updates on Substantive and Procedural Laws and Jurisprudence
    Court Technology: Rules on Electronic Evidence (3CU)

    04:15PM - 06:15PM ATTORNEY ROCKY REYES
    MCLE Prescribed Subject
    Perspective on Foreign Investments & Project Finance Activities
    in the Philippines (2CU)

    DAY 2 : JULY 24, 2009 FRIDAY

    08:00AM - 10:00AM JUSTICE HILARION AQUINO
    Legal and Judicial Ethics
    The Lawyer’s Pitfalls (2CU)

    10:15AM - 12:15PM ATTORNEY ANNA MARIA ABAD
    MCLE Prescribed Subject
    Laws on Education and Schools (2CU)

    01:00PM - 04:00PM ATTORNEY RODRIGO LOPE QUIMBO
    Updates on Substantive and Procedural Laws and Jurisprudence
    Issues and Problems in the Law on Torts & Damages (3CU)

    04:15PM - 06:15PM ATTORNEY KATRINA LEGARDA
    Legal and Judicial Ethics
    Lawyers in Conflict with the Law (2CU)

    DAY 3 : JULY 29, 2009 WEDNESDAY

    08:00AM - 10:00AM DEAN SEDFREY CANDELARIA
    International Law and International Coventions
    The IMF Articles of Agreement and the Current Framework
    for Sovereign Debt Renegotiations (2CU)

    10:15AM - 12:15PM ATTORNEY RITA LINDA JIMENO
    Alternative Dispute Resolution
    Mediation and Negotiation Skills with Workshop (2CU)

    01:00PM - 04:00PM PROFESSOR RUBEN F. BALANE
    Updates on Substantive and Procedural Laws and Jurisprudence
    Special Problems in Succession (3CU)

    04:15PM - 06:15PM ATTORNEY SIGFRID FORTUN
    Legal and Judicial Ethics
    Cases and Problem Solving Dilemmas in Legal Ethics (2 CU)

    DAY 4 : JULY 30, 2009 THURSDAY

    08:00AM - 10:00AM DOCTOR RAQUEL FORTUN
    MCLE Prescribed Subject
    Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (2CU)

    10:15AM - 12:15PM PROSECUTOR PETER ONG
    Trial and Pre-Trial Skills
    The Significance of Documentary Evidence in Prosecuting
    Criminal Cases (2CU)

    01:00PM - 04:00PM ATTORNEY SHIRLEY ALINEA
    Alternative Dispute Resolution
    Commercial Arbitration (3CU)

    04:15PM - 06:15PM ATTORNEY KARL ARIAN CASTILLO
    Legal Writing and Oral Advocacy
    Effective Courtroom Advocacy (2CU)

    ————————————————————————-
    Seminar fee is inclusive of BUFFET breakfast and lunch, afternoon snacks, seminar kit and handouts, free-flowing coffee, Certificate of Attendance, processing of Attorney’s Compliance Report (ACR) and facilitation of Certificate of Compliance (CoC) with the SC-MCLE Office. We do the processing and quick delivery of your Certificate of Compliance to your doorstep!

    MCLE Credit Units earned can be applied to the first, second or third compliance period.

    For inquiries and reservation, please get in touch with Ryan at (02) 894-0921 or 09176689172, email ryan@legaladvantage.com.ph

  2. 36 Michelle May 11th, 2009 at 1:27 pm

    All Lawyers!

    For MCLE Seminar please call (02) 753-2562 and look for Michelle.

    Thanks.

  3. 35 me Apr 14th, 2009 at 11:15 pm

    So this means 2008 bar passers need to comply with the MCLE requirements for the 3rd compliance period? 1/3 of the required units right?

    Thanks :)

  4. 34 atty.salve Apr 10th, 2009 at 12:11 pm

    I was admitted to the bar may 2008. wen will i statrt complying with the MCLE requirement? wen will I fall? thanks alot.

  5. 33 Rex Mar 27th, 2009 at 3:50 pm

    THE GOOD LAWYER
    An MCLE series presented by CD Technologies Asia, Inc.
    April 15 to 18, 2009 / 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
    Philippine Social Science Center
    Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Quezon City

    For inquiries, please call:
    Telephone: 746-3768 (Rex) or 634-7141 (Rea or Lyn)
    Fax: 634-7140 / 634-7142 (telefax)
    E-mail: rjcabutihan@cdasia.com
    Website: http://www.mclepro.com

  6. 32 attyvann Mar 26th, 2009 at 9:02 am

    i asked the mcle people about the compliance for new lawyers and this is their reply for my case, i.e., i was admitted to the bar on april 27, 2007:

    indicate in the pleadings after the name of counsel, ibp, ptr, tin and roll number the following:

    admitted to the bar april 27, 2007
    mcle compliance period ends april 10, 2010

  7. 31 Rex Mar 24th, 2009 at 2:07 pm

    1st Compliance Period: April 15, 2001 up to April 14, 2004

    2nd Compliance Period: April 15, 2004 up to April 14, 2007

    3rd Compliance Period: April 15, 2007 up to April 14, 2010

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