Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Legal Spend Management in the Philippines: A Guide for In-House Teams
Legal spend management in the Philippines helps in-house teams control outside counsel costs, set budgets, and run a defensible, transparent legal function.
Secondment and Interim Counsel Arrangements in the Philippines: A Practical Guide
Understand how secondment and interim counsel arrangements work in the Philippines, including the ethical rules that govern borrowed lawyers and compliance teams.
Corporate Legal Retainer in the Philippines: What Coverage Should Include
A corporate legal retainer in the Philippines gives companies ongoing counsel for governance, contracts, and compliance. Learn how to structure coverage.
Outside Counsel Guidelines in the Philippines: A Practical Guide for In-House Teams
Outside counsel guidelines in the Philippines help in-house teams manage legal spend, define engagement terms, and align external lawyers with company policy.
Outside Counsel Management in the Philippines: Fees, Staffing, and Value
Outside counsel management in the Philippines means controlling legal fees, staffing, and engagement terms while upholding the ethical rules that bind every lawyer.
Fractional General Counsel in the Philippines: How Part-Time GCs Work
A fractional general counsel in the Philippines gives companies senior in-house legal oversight part-time, without the cost of a full-time hire.
Outsourced General Counsel in the Philippines: When and Why to Hire One
Outsourced general counsel in the Philippines gives growing companies in-house legal firepower without a full-time hire. Here is when it makes sense.
Legal AI for In-House Counsel in the Philippines: A Practical Guide
Legal AI for in-house counsel in the Philippines can speed up contracts and compliance, but data privacy rules under the Data Privacy Act still apply.
When Courts Relax the Rules: Attorney Negligence and Due Process in Labor Disputes
The Supreme Court explains when procedural rules may be relaxed to protect workers' right to due process despite counsel's negligence.
When Can a Lawyer Be Disbarred in the Philippines? Gross Negligence Explained
Learn when lawyer negligence leads to disbarment in the Philippines, based on a Supreme Court ruling on a counsel who abandoned a client.
Gross Negligence of Counsel: When Final Convictions Can Be Reopened for Due Process
When a lawyer's gross negligence and lies cost a client the right to appeal, the Supreme Court may recall a final judgment to protect due process.
Gross Negligence of Counsel Can Restore the Right to Appeal in Criminal Cases
When a lawyer's gross negligence and misrepresentations cause a client to lose the right to appeal, the Supreme Court may recall the entry of judgment and reinstate the appeal.
Balancing Justice and Procedure When Counsel's Negligence Impacts an Appeal
The Supreme Court rules that a counsel's failure to file a brief on time should not cost an accused his appeal, especially when liberty is at stake.
Counsel Negligence and Strict Procedural Rules: PNB v. Spouses Victor
Supreme Court affirms strict 60-day period for petitions for relief, holding clients bound by counsel's negligence absent clear abandonment.
When a Lawyer's Dual Clients Create a Conflict of Interest: Lessons from Marcelo-Salud v. Bolivar
A lawyer who represents tenants while also serving as counsel to the alleged property owner may face discipline for conflicting interests, even if the main complaint fails.
Relaxing Procedural Rules in Appeals to Protect Property Rights From Counsel Negligence
When a lawyer's negligence causes a late appeal brief, the Supreme Court may relax procedural rules to protect a party's property rights and decide cases on the merits.
Balancing Efficiency and Due Process: The 60-Day Certiorari Rule in Court Operations
Examining Puregold v. Court of Appeals, which underscores the strict 60-day period for certiorari and the binding effect of counsel's receipt of orders.
Negligence of Counsel: Litigants Must Still Monitor Their Cases
Supreme Court rules that a litigant cannot blame counsel's negligence for missing appeal deadlines; clients must monitor their cases.
COA Concurrence in Hiring Private Counsel: The PNOC-EC Case and New Rules
The Supreme Court clarifies when government agencies must secure COA concurrence before hiring private lawyers, and how new rules ease this requirement.
Ethical Limits on Filing Graft Complaints: Lessons from Diaz v. Atty. Mandagan
A lawyer's duty to avoid frivolous cases: Supreme Court suspends counsel for filing unsubstantiated graft charges against a former mayor.
When Lawyers Cross the Line: The Limits of Advocacy in Corporate Disputes
A lawyer's duty to the court limits zeal for clients. The Supreme Court suspends counsel for evading a TRO in a corporate control fight.
Forum Shopping and Lawyer Ethics: Lessons from a 2020 Disbarment Case
A lawyer who filed two nearly identical administrative complaints against an opposing counsel was suspended for six months for forum shopping.
Lawyer Misconduct in Property Disputes: When Counsel Crosses Ethical Lines
A Supreme Court ruling reminds lawyers that notarizing and profiting from deals on disputed property violates the Code of Professional Responsibility.
Client’s Death and Counsel’s Duty: The 30-Day Notification Rule Under Section 16, Rule 3
A lawyer must notify the court within 30 days of a client’s death and name the legal representatives—or face disciplinary action.