More than words

Last May 21, in a special full court session of the Supreme Court held at the Mall of Asia Arena, the legal profession welcomed 3,747 new lawyers into the fold. This batch of new lawyers has attained notoriety for being the largest batch of bar passers in the history of the Philippines.

On that Monday afternoon, these bar passers took the lawyer’s oath, moving one step closer to becoming full-fledged lawyers.

Non-lawyers may wonder what is with all the fanfare over an oath-taking ceremony. Why do thousands of people flock into a packed venue and stay there for two hours just to watch soon-to-be lawyers utter a few lines barely five minutes long?

The oath-taking ceremony is a rite of passage for any new lawyer, whereby he or she swears his or her allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines, promises to support the Constitution and obey the laws and lawful orders of the country. The would-be lawyer pledges to uphold the canons encapsulated in the Code of Professional Responsibility—to do no falsehood nor consent to the doing of such in court, to not promote or sue any groundless or false suit nor consent to the same, to delay no man for money or malice, and to promise to conduct himself/herself with all good fidelity to his/her clients and to the courts.

Despite overarching diversity in geography or in fields of practice, the lawyer’s oath binds all Philippine lawyers to a singular core purpose: to uphold the law and aid in the administration of justice.

The new lawyers hail from all corners of the Philippines. No less than Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Bar exams chairman Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. recognized and celebrated the exceptional diversity of these new lawyers whose residences and law schools originate from different parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Indeed, this is cause for celebration as this diversity holds much promise in invigorating the legal profession with an infusion of fresh perspectives and idealism, not only in Metro Manila but across the country.

The diversity of this batch places them in a unique situation to contribute to the discourse of improving and advancing legal reforms in the justice system with experiences culled from their very own communities. This diversity heralds the possibility of bringing excellent legal services across the far reaches of the Philippines, making it accessible to more Filipinos who need it. This diversity holds the promise of sparking change closer to home.

These lawyers are also uniquely prepared to become whatever they want to be in life: trial lawyer, business lawyer, congressman, senator, jurist, educator, regulator, business executive, and even the president of the Republic.

From one lawyer to another, I encourage you young compañeros and compañeras to work hard and excel in whatever you decide to do. Although the legal profession may have its rewards, be it financial or laudatory, it entails first and foremost a lot of sacrifice.

The law of sacrifice is the key to success, so to speak. As one quote puts it: “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

But more than excelling in your respective fields, remember that the legal profession is bigger than yourself and your own aspirations. It is a service that only a privileged few are allowed to practice.

Use the law to help build a better society. Strive to be men of the law with a conscience. Without conscience, you are a danger to society.

You have, in your arsenal of knowledge, the power to destroy it. Remember that at the end of the day, you will be measured not by the money you make, the cases you win, the deals you close or the accolades you receive, but by what you have truly done to build a more just and fair society.

Whatever path in the law you choose for yourself, let the lawyer’s oath be your guide. Your oath is not merely words hastily written on your bluebooks in an ethics exam or hollow words uttered in a ceremony.

Make it your north star, your moral compass, so that whichever way your career leads you, you remain moored to the very principles that inspired you to enter this noble profession in the first place.