Punzi's Corner Blog: By your leave

Thursday, March 08, 2007
This day in history from:

By your leave

I will be out of commission for tomorrow and Saturday (as well as next Friday and Saturday) to attend what is called MCLE seminars.

MCLE stands for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. Simply put, the Philippine Bar requires we take 36 units of seminars every three years to update ourselves in the latest legal developments here. Otherwise, we are declared delinquents and lose our licenses to practice law.

I'm not particularly sold on this system. Like doctors, if we don't update ourselves on our own, we loose. The legal system is constantly changing and we have to update ourselves on our own. Otherwise, we loose our cases and eventually, our livelihoods. It's not as if we can get by using "old" laws and legal concepts to win cases or properly advise our clients.

All of these "mandatory" things all seem to spell "r a c k e t" but that's my feeling only. The money I shelled to attend this does not grow on trees.

Anyway, I'll probably try to blog what I've learned for the next few days.

Disaster relief, sustainable development & community service

Side Prayers

PRAYER FOR GENEROSITY
Lord Jesus,
Teach me to be generous,
Teach me to serve You as You deserve
To give and not to count the cost,
To fight and not to heed the wounds,
To toil and not to seek for rest,
To labor and not to ask for reward,
except that of knowing
That I do Your Holy Will. Amen

THE LAWYER'S PRAYER
May every word I speak be from Your Truth...
I ask come from Your Wisdom...
May every case I handle receive Your Guidance...
May every heart, every life I touch, feel Your Love.

THE JABEZ PRAYER
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying,
"Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your Hand be with me,
that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain."

So God granted him what he requested.

Side Oath

The Lawyer's Oath
I do solemnly swear that
I will maintain allegiance to
the Republic of the Philippines,
I will support its Constitution
and obey the laws as well as
the legal orders of the
duly constituted authorities therein;
I will do no falsehood,
nor consent to the doing of any in court;
I will not wittingly or willingly
promote or sue any groundless,
false or unlawful suit,
nor give aid nor consent to the same;
I will delay no man for money or malice,
and will conduct myself as a lawyer
according to the best of my knowledge
and discretion with all good fidelity
as well to the courts as to my clients;
and I impose upon myself this voluntary obligation
without any mental reservation
or purpose of evasion.
So help me God.

Shameless Sideplugs