LegalEthicsPracticeofLaw

In 1991, Christian Monsod was appointed as the Chairman of the Commission on

Elections. His appointment was affirmed by the Commission on Appointments.
MonsodsappointmentwasopposedbyRenatoCayetanoonthegroundthathedoesnot
qualifyforhefailedtomeettheConstitutionalrequirementwhichprovidesthatthe
chairmanoftheCOMELECshouldhavebeenengagedinthepracticelawforatleast
tenyears.
Monsodstrackrecordasalawyer:
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Passedthebarin1960witharatingof86.55%.
Immediatelyafterpassing,workedinhisfatherslawfirmforoneyear.
Thereafter,until1970,hewentabroadwherehehadadegreeineconomicsandheldvarious
positionsinvariousforeigncorporations.
In1970,hereturnedtothePhilippinesandheldexecutivejobsforvariouslocalcorporations
until1986.
In1986,hebecameamemberoftheConstitutionalCommission.

ISSUE: Whether or not Monsod qualifies as chairman of the COMELEC. What

constitutespracticeoflaw?
HELD: Yes.Atty.Monsodspastworkexperiencesasalawyereconomist,alawyer
manager, a lawyerentrepreneur of industry, a lawyernegotiator of contracts, and a
lawyerlegislator of both the rich and the poor verily more than satisfy the
constitutionalrequirementthathehasbeenengagedinthepracticeoflawforatleast
tenyears.
Asnotedbyvariousauthorities,thepracticeoflawisnotlimitedtocourtappearances.
Themembersofthebenchandbarandtheinformedlaymensuchasbusinessmen,know
thatinmostdevelopedsocietiestoday,substantiallymorelegalworkistransactedin
lawofficesthaninthecourtrooms.Generalpractitionersoflawwhodobothlitigation
andnonlitigationworkalsoknowthatinmostcasestheyfindthemselvesspending
moretimedoingwhatislooselydescribedasbusinesscounselingthanintryingcases.
Inthecourseofaworkingdaytheaveragegeneralpractitionerwigengageinanumber
oflegaltasks,eachinvolvingdifferentlegaldoctrines,legalskills,legalprocesses,legal
institutions,clients,andotherinterestedparties.Eventheincreasingnumbersoflawyers
inspecializedpracticewigusuallyperformatleastsomelegalservicesoutsidetheir
specialty.Bynomeanswillmostofthisworkinvolvelitigation,unlessthelawyeris
one of the relatively rare types a litigator who specializes in this work to the
exclusionofmuchelse.Instead,theworkwillrequirethelawyertohavemasteredthe
full range of traditional lawyer skills of client counseling, advicegiving, document
drafting,andnegotiation.