Republic of the Philippines

LEGAL EDUCATION BOARD

Quezon City

The COVID-19 pandemic is posing unprecedented difficult challenges and hardships

to families and communities the world over. The novel realities of this global health
situation have profoundly disrupted the dynamics of legal education in the Philippines,
upending existing assumptions about teaching and learning law in many ways never before
expected.

Given the continuing situational fluidity and uncertainty created by this

coronavirus pandemic that demand emergency combative and preventive measures, the
Philippine legal education community and its stakeholders are left with no other recourse
but to work together in accepting this new normal, and to resolve to make the best out of
this difficult situation by formulating and adopting creative and innovative mechanisms to
continue to improve and maintain quality legal education in the country.

It is in this regard that the Legal Education Board promulgates this LEB
Memorandum Circular for the consideration and guidance of the legal education
community.

Legal Education Board Memorandum Circular

No. 56, Series of 2020

SUBJECT: COVID-19 PANDEMIC GUIDELINES FOR LAW SCHOOLS

Section 1. Declaration of Policies. — In the exercise of academic freedom, law schools

are encouraged to design their respective contingency learning plans to the extent their
particular local COVID-19 situation will allow, in accordance with the following general
principles:
1. During this extraordinary health crisis, the inherent right to life, health and
integrity of the human person takes precedence over academic goals.

2. Any and all academic interventions that will be adopted at this time must be
premised on the values of compassion, empathic understanding, and solidarity,
with care to mitigate existing technological, gender, and socio-cultural-economic
inequalities that may be exacerbated by the crisis.

3. Law schools are encouraged to adopt innovative ways of teaching and delivery of
instruction that will enable continued learning without imposing additional
hardship or burden on the students, faculty members and administrative officials
and personnel during these difficult times.
1
Section 2. Welfare of Academic Community. —
1. Law schools shall prioritize the holistic health and welfare of student, faculty
members, and administrators and staff at all times.

2. Whenever practicable, law schools are encouraged to provide necessary health

services, including psychosocial support to its academic members.

3. Similarly, the provision of remote access to library and online learning resources,
to the extent possible, by law schools is encouraged.

4. The extension of financial support and social amelioration to teaching and non-
teaching personnel shall be explored by law schools, whether through
government or corporate programs, or both.

Section 3. Contingency learning plans. — To mitigate the disruptive effects of the public
health emergency situation, law schools have the discretion to implement alternative and
innovative methods of learning under the following advisement:
1. The contingency learning plans of the law school shall be designed in a manner
appropriate to their local situation and capabilities, with an emphasis on
continuation of quality learning for students to the extent possible under the
circumstances. This may take the form of distance/remote learning, provision of
entire course content, problem-based learning, and other creative or innovative
methodologies. Student autonomy and self-directed learning must be emphasized.

2. The design of contingency learning plans shall not unduly prejudice students and
faculty members who are unable to participate based on environmental,
technological and personal limitations.

3. Given the broad disparity in access to technology among law students and faculty,
asynchronous remote learning is a recommended system of alternative learning.
The asynchronous remote learning system primarily focuses on recorded course
content and self-paced study. It involves minimal internet connectivity and live
interaction with participants.

Section 4. Academic Calendar. —

1. Notwithstanding Sections 2, 3 and 7 of LEBMO No. 10 (2017), law schools shall
maintain their discretion to adjust Academic Year 2019-2020 to end earlier or
later than their approved schedule, depending on what is most appropriate to
their local situation.

2. For the remainder of Academic Year 2019-2020, the use of alternative modes of
learning, including distance/remote learning, and the accomplishment of
academic output shall be deemed as equivalent to the contact hours required
under Section 4 of LEBMO No. 10.

3. For Academic Year 2020-2021, law schools have the discretion to adjust the
beginning of their academic year beyond August 2020 in accordance with the
exigencies of their particular situation.

2
 4. The law schools who have decided to adjust their academic calendar due to the
pandemic shall inform the LEB of such adjustment within 15 days from their
adoption of the same.

Section 5. Assessment and Grading. — In light of the unusual circumstances brought

about by the COVID-19 pandemic, law schools are flexible in adopting a contingent
assessment and grading system for the terminal semester of Academic Year 2019-2020
in line with the following policies:
1. The deep reliance of Philippine legal education on physical classroom presence,
recitation, and live in-person interaction to manage learning objectives is
inconsistent with the methodologies of distance/remote learning. Therefore, the
health crisis now obtaining, law schools may explore other effective mechanisms
to fairly assess student performance and accurately determine their readiness for
higher courses even with remote learning mechanisms.

2. Law schools experiencing midterm disruption due to the pandemic are

encouraged to adopt a pass/no-fail policy for the remainder of Academic Year
2019-2020. A no-fail policy shifts the focus of schools from the completion of
requirements to one that emphasizes the desired course outcomes. It also
prevents students who are already disadvantaged technologically and socio-
economically from being further disadvantaged.

3. The no-fail policy if adopted may follow a grading system that uses reasonable
criteria to determine whether a student has earned a passing mark for the course.
Students who do not meet these criteria shall be allowed any of the following
options: “no marks/credit” (or similar nomenclature), “dropped from the course
without prejudice”, “incomplete”, or given a longer period, to be determined by
the school, to merit a passing mark.

4. If adjustments are made to the assessment and grading system in the middle of
the semester, students must be appropriately informed of such changes and given
reasonable time to adjust and comply. The basis of the computation of grades shall
also be transparently shown to the students before implementation.

5. The policies under this Section may also be availed of by law schools who have
already concluded their Academic Year 2019-2020 before the issuance of this
Memorandum Circular.

Section 6. Prerequisites and Bridging Programs. —

1. To afford law schools and law students maximum ability to catch up with learning
objectives, the application of the Table of Prerequisites provided for under LEBMO
No. 5 (2016), as amended, and Section 4 of LEBMO No. 2 (2013) shall be
suspended for Academic Year 2020-2021.

2. To help students acquire the minimum competencies needed to advance to the

next level of law studies, law schools are encouraged to implement bridging
programs on an audit basis. Law schools can also offer such bridging programs on
a shared basis in consortium with other law schools.

3
Section 7. Graduation. —
1. The completion of the law degree program is made upon the certification of
completion by the higher education institution and the issuance of a LEB
Certificate of Graduation (LEB-C). Applications for LEB-C shall be expedited
through online processing, with physical copies of the original LEB-C to be sent by
mail as soon as conditions permit.

2. Law schools have the discretion to adjust their graduation traditions in the
manner appropriate to their local situation. Physical graduation ceremonies are
highly discouraged at this time in accordance with the prohibition on mass
gatherings and the social-distancing directive of the government.

3. Law schools offering the Juris Doctor (J.D.) thesis curriculum may waive the thesis
requirement in light of the prevailing circumstances, provided that they duly
notify the LEB of such action in a timely manner. The degree to be granted shall
still be J.D. under the same curriculum, but the waiver shall be notated on the
applicable student Transcript of Records.

4. Students who wish to appeal their right to graduate shall be given the opportunity
to do so in their law school beyond the normally established period if there are
reasonable circumstances for extension.

Section 8. Summer Classes. —

1. Notwithstanding LEBMO No. 13 (2018), law schools authorized to conduct classes
during the summer term of their law program shall be allowed to adjust their
schedule consistent with their adjustments of the academic calendar as provided
in Section 4 of this Memorandum Circular.

2. Sections 4, 5, and 6 of LEBMO No. 13 on the duration, maximum academic load,

and number of class hours shall be temporarily suspended to allow schools to
adjust in the manner appropriate to their local situation.

3. The application period provided under LEBMO No. 13 shall be relaxed to allow for
applications of emergency summer classes.

Section 9. Apprenticeship. — In the interest of the welfare of students and instructors,

apprenticeships that are part of the law curriculum and which require physical on-site
presence and participation of students is highly discouraged for the duration of Academic
Year 2019-2020, including the summer term. Apprenticeships may be allowed on a per-
school basis when the law school is able to show that local public health policies allow it,
or the working arrangements for the apprenticeship do not place the students at risk.

Section 10. Resumption of Classes. —

1. If physical classes are resumed at any point during the COVID-19 public health
emergency period, law students shall be given the option to refuse physical
participation based on valid health concerns. In this regard, the law schools
concerned shall determine, in accordance with academic freedom, how the
student may earn credits for such physical absence from their classes. Law

4
 schools may observe maximum flexibility in formulating policies to allow leniency
in residency or academic leaves.

2. Law schools are encouraged to explore blended learning methodologies which

integrate physical classroom interaction and remote learning platforms.

Section 11. Report of pandemic response. To record all changes, provide important data
for policy making, and highlight successful and best practices among academic
institutions, the actions of law schools made pursuant to this Memorandum Circular shall
be reported to the LEB as follows:
1. Law schools shall report to the LEB all its relevant actions in response to the
pandemic situation. Such report of pandemic response shall include, whenever
applicable:
a. Health and welfare policies adopted by the school;
b. Contingency learning plans;
c. Changes made to the:
i. Academic Calendar;
ii. Summer Classes,
iii. Assessment and Grading System,
iv. Course Prerequisites,
v. Graduation Policies,
vi. and Apprenticeship; and,
d. Other relevant information.

2. The report of pandemic response shall cover both Academic Years (AY) 2019-
2020 and 2020-2021, and shall be submitted within one (1) month from the
beginning of AY 2020-2021.

3. Notwithstanding the reportorial requirement under this Memorandum Circular,

law schools shall immediately notify the LEB if it decides to shorten or extend the
academic calendar for AY 2019-2020, and/or waive the thesis requirement for its
students under the J.D. thesis curriculum. This immediate notification shall be
made within 15 days after the action has been adopted.

Issued under the seal of the Legal Education Board this 23rd day of April 2020 in Quezon
City.

For the Board:

ZENAIDA N. ELEPAÑO
OIC, Commissioner