PRINCIPLES

PRACTICE OF LAW

FAJARDO v. ALVAREZ, AC. No. 9018, 2016-04-20

Respondent's practice of profession was expressly and impliedly conditioned on the requirement
that his practice will not be "in conflict with the interest of the Center and the Philippine government as
a whole. There is basic conflict of interest here. Respondent is a public officer, an employee of
government. The Office of the Ombudsman is part of government. By appearing against the Office of
the Ombudsman, respondent is going against the same employer he swore to serve.

DE ZUZUARREGI VS ZUZUARREGI, B.M. No. 2796

The dismissal of all the other criminal charges against respondent, coupled with the various
certifications of good moral character in his favor, is sufficient for the Court to conclude that
respondent possesses the moral qualifications required of lawyers. Though it is true that the practice of
law is not a right but a privilege, the Court will not unjustifiably withhold this privilege from
respondent, who has clearly shown that he is both intellectually and morally qualified to join the legal
profession.