By: Dean Ponciano D. Subido
In the hands of the Lawyers lie the Constitutional guarantee, that:
“No person shall be deprived of his life, liberty and property without due process. Nor shall any person be deprived the equal protection of the Law.”
In view of the enormous role of Lawyers in society, the people expect and demand much from them. Among these basic demands of society are for Lawyers to be always on the forefront where there is injustice; to be in top intellectual condition, always daring to think, read, write and speak.
Complacency is the worst enemy of any Lawyer. Complacency cultivates stagnation. Stagnation breeds mediocrity and mendicancy. Complacency and stagnation make Lawyers drifters or glamorized messengers or even plain fixers.
Idealism is not the exclusive preserve of the young. Idealism should not be equated with youth. Idealism is for all men and women who want to take the thorny path of truth, fairness and justice. Idealism can and should be equated with the legal profession and with Lawyers because of the very essence of the profession and of what Lawyers ought to do.
As their hair turns gray, as their physical constitution weakens by the wear and tear of many legal battles, all the more Lawyers should be idealistic. Through the passage and test of time and work, Lawyers have acquired enormous knowledge, not only in Law but about the facts and realities of life. Akin to a wine, the older the Lawyer gets, his quality soars and his fees become more expensive.
Lawyers are expected to cope with the rising tide and adjust to the signs of the times, especially during the dangerous but exciting time of national crises, whether those confronting the legal profession or those involving unpopular legal issues or causes of the less fortunate Filipinos, to see to it that those who have less in life will not only have more in Law, but more in Justice.
All these Lawyers must do, not due to compulsion, not because of any Supreme Court circular, but because it is the essence, the soul and heart of being apostles of the Law and Justice. We do these because it is what Lawyering is all about.