Guidelines on the Pilot On-the-Job Training Program of Law Students in First and Second Level Courts

March 2, 2010

[B.M. No. 1552]

RESOLUTION

Sirs/Mesdames:

Quoted hereunder, for your information, is a resolution of the Court En Banc dated March 2, 2010

"Bar Matter No. 1552 (In the Matter of the On-the-Job Training/Practicum in the Different Courts of the Students of the Faculty of Civil Law, University of Sto. Tomas)

Acting on the recommendation of the Committee on Legal Education and Bar Matters, the Court resolved to APPROVE the Proposed Guidelines on the Pilot On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program of Law Students in the First and Second Level Courts, which was drafted in connection with the petition of the Legal Aid Clinic of the University of Sto. Tomas and other law schools, to wit:

Guidelines on the Pilot On-The-Job Training (OJT) Program of Law Students In First and Second Level Courts

1. The Pilot On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program in first and second level courts in Metro Manila shall be conducted for 240 hours during the summer vacation in April and May. The Program shall provide law students insight on: (a) discipline and ethical standards in the administration of justice; (b) hands-on-training in legal research and writing; and (c) court proceedings. AIHECa

2. Training in legal research and writing shall include the assignment of legal issues for research, with written results thereof to be submitted at the time prescribed by the judge.

3. Law schools intending to participate in the Pilot OJT Program shall address their request to the Executive Judge of the Court/s concerned. The request shall name the qualified student participant(s) and the coordinator of the legal aid program of the requesting law school.

4. The Executive Judge shall then: (a) convey the request to the judges under his or her supervision; (b) request the judges to indicate: (i) willingness to participate in the Pilot OJT Program, and (ii) the number of law students participants that each of them can accommodate; and (c) inform the requesting law school who among the judges will participate in the program, indicating therein the number of law students participant(s) under each judge.

5. The Executive Judge and the requesting law school shall subsequently enter into a Memorandum of Agreement governing the conduct of the Pilot OJT Program in the Court/s concerned.

6. The participating judge shall:

(a) interview the law student to determine whether his or her personal traits and academic capabilities conform to those required of regular court personnel;

(b) assign to each law student at least two (2) legal research assignments for the duration of the Pilot OJT Program;

(c) allow the law student to assist the clerk of court in such areas of work as will not compromise efficiency, integrity and confidentiality in performance of his or her job, and the opportunity to observe court proceedings at least twice a week;

(d) strictly prohibit the law student from taking out of the courtroom records, exhibits, and documents under pain of administrative and penal sanctions, as may be provided by law;

(e) rate the performance of the law student(s) in accordance with the rating system of the law schools provided by the coordinator of its legal aid program, who shall collate the ratings for submission to the dean of the law school; and DaTISc

(f) submit a report on the Program to the Executive Judge at the end of the pilot program period.

7. The law student-participant and the judge-participant shall respectively observe and be bound by the Code of Conduct for the Court Personnel and the Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary. Any violation of ethical standards and pertinent laws shall subject the violator to disciplinary action and criminal prosecution, as the law school and the Judiciary authorities may deem proper.

8. At the end of the pilot program period, the Executive judge shall submit a report to the Committee on Legal Education and Bar Matters Supreme Court for the evaluation of the Pilot OJT Program." (adv135)

Very truly yours,

 

(SGD.) MA. LUISA D. VILLARAMAClerk of Court