Section 8, Canon IV

SECTION 8. Lifelong learning. – A competent lawyer engages in lifelong learning

through the continued development of professional skills. (2023 Code of
Professional Responsibility and Accountability or CPRA)
1. Lifelong learning
Under this section, competent lawyers are expected to engage “in lifelong learning
through the continued development of professional skills.”
[T]he study of the law is a comprehensive, widespread, and life-long process. Hence, it
is not confined to the four corners of a law school and its peda gogy.
What is the purpose of mandatory continuing legal education?
Purpose of the MCLE. – Continuing legal education is required of members of the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to ensure that throughout their career, they keep
abreast with law and jurisprudence, maintain the ethics of the profession and enhance
the standards of the practice of law.

EN BANC

[(Bar Matter) B.M. 850. October 2, 2001]

MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION

RESOLUTION

ADOPTING THE REVISED RULES ON THE CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION

FOR MEMBERS OF THE INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES

Considering the Rules on the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) for
members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), recommended by the IBP,
endorsed by the Philippine Judicial Academy, and reviewed and passed upon by the
Supreme Court Committee on Legal Education, the Court hereby resolves to approve,
as it hereby approves, the following Revised Rules for proper implementation:

Rule 1. PURPOSE

SECTION 1. Purpose of the MCLE. – Continuing legal education is required of

members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to ensure that throughout their
career, they keep abreast with law and jurisprudence, maintain the ethics of the
profession and enhance the standards of the practice of law.

Rule 2. MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION

SECTION 1. Commencement of the MCLE. – Within two (2) months from the approval
of these Rules by the Supreme Court En Banc, the MCLE Committee shall be
constituted and shall commence the implementation of the Mandatory Continuing Legal
Education (MCLE) program in accordance with these Rules.

SEC. 2. Requirements of completion of MCLE. – Members of the IBP not exempt under
Rule 7 shall complete every three (3) years at least thirty-six (36) hours of continuing
legal education activities approved by the MCLE Committee. Of the 36 hours:

(a) At least six (6) hours shall be devoted to legal ethics equivalent to six (6)
credit units.

(b) At least four (4) hours shall be devoted to trial and pretrial skills equivalent to
four (4) credit units.

(c) At least five (5) hours shall be devoted to alternative dispute resolution
equivalent to five (5) credit units.

(d) At least nine (9) hours shall be devoted to updates on substantive and
procedural laws, and jurisprudence equivalent to nine (9) credit units.

(e) At least four (4) hours shall be devoted to legal writing and oral advocacy
equivalent to four (4) credit units.

(f) At least two (2) hours shall be devoted to international law and international
conventions equivalent to two (2) credit units.

(g) The remaining six (6) hours shall be devoted to such subjects as may be
prescribed by the MCLE Committee equivalent to six (6) credit units.

Rule 3. COMPLIANCE PERIOD

SECTION 1. Initial compliance period. — The initial compliance period shall begin not
later than three (3) months from the adoption of these Rules. Except for the initial
compliance period for members admitted or readmitted after the establishment of the
program, all compliance periods shall be for thirty-six (36) months and shall begin the
day after the end of the previous compliance period.
SEC. 2. Compliance Groups. — Members of the IBP not exempt from the MCLE
requirement shall be divided into three (3) compliance groups, namely:

(a) Compliance group 1. — Members in the National Capital Region (NCR) or

Metro Manila are assigned to Compliance Group 1.

(b) Compliance group 2. — Members in Luzon outside NCR are assigned to

Compliance Group 2.

(c) Compliance group 3. — Members in Visayas and Mindanao are assigned to

Compliance Group 3.

Nevertheless, members may participate in any legal education activity wherever it may
be available to earn credit unit toward compliance with the MCLE requirement.

SEC. 3. Compliance period of members admitted or readmitted after establishment of

the program. – Members admitted or readmitted to the Bar after the establishment of
the program shall be assigned to the appropriate Compliance Group based on their
Chapter membership on the date of admission or readmission.

The initial compliance period after admission or readmission shall begin on the first day
of the month of admission or readmission and shall end on the same day as that of all
other members in the same Compliance Group.

(a) Where four (4) months or less remain of the initial compliance period after
admission or readmission, the member is not required to comply with the program
requirement for the initial compliance.

(b) Where more than four (4) months remain of the initial compliance period after
admission or readmission, the member shall be required to complete a number of hours
of approved continuing legal education activities equal to the number of months
remaining in the compliance period in which the member is admitted or readmitted.
Such member shall be required to complete a number of hours of education in legal
ethics in proportion to the number of months remaining in the compliance period.
Fractions of hours shall be rounded up to the next whole number.

Rule 4. COMPUTATION OF CREDIT UNITS(CU)

SECTION 1. Guidelines. – CREDIT UNITS ARE EQUIVALENT TO CREDIT HOURS.

CREDIT UNITS measure compliance with the MCLE requirement under the Rules,
based on the category of the lawyer’s participation in the MCLE activity. The following
are the guidelines for computing credit units and the supporting documents required
therefor:
Rule 5. CATEGORIES OF CREDIT UNITS

SECTION 1. Classes of Credit units. — Credit units are either participatory or non-
participatory.

SEC. 2. Claim for participatory credit units. — Participatory credit units may be claimed
for:

(a) Attending approved education activities like seminars, conferences,

conventions, symposia, in-house education programs, workshops, dialogues or round
table discussion.

(b) Speaking or lecturing, or acting as assigned panelist, reactor, commentator,

resource speaker, moderator, coordinator or facilitator in approved education activities.

(c) Teaching in a law school or lecturing in a bar review class.

SEC. 3. Claim for non-participatory credit units. – Non-participatory credit units may be
claimed per compliance period for:

(a) Preparing, as an author or co-author, written materials published or accepted

for publication, e.g., in the form of an article, chapter, book, or book review which
contribute to the legal education of the author member, which were not prepared in the
ordinary course of the member’s practice or employment.

(b) Editing a law book, law journal or legal newsletter.

Rule 6. COMPUTATION OF CREDIT HOURS (CH)

SECTION 1. Computation of credit hours. — Credit hours are computed based on

actual time spent in an education activity in hours to the nearest one-quarter hour
reported in decimals.

Rule 7. EXEMPTIONS

SECTION 1. Parties exempted from the MCLE. — The following members of the Bar
are exempt from the MCLE requirement:

(a) The President and the Vice President of the Philippines, and the Secretaries
and Undersecretaries of Executive Departments;
(b) Senators and Members of the House of Representatives;

(c) The Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, incumbent
and retired members of the judiciary, incumbent members of the Judicial and Bar
Council and incumbent court lawyers covered by the Philippine Judicial Academy
program of continuing judicial education;

(d) The Chief State Counsel, Chief State Prosecutor and Assistant Secretaries of
the Department of Justice;

(e) The Solicitor General and the Assistant Solicitors General;

(f) The Government Corporate Counsel, Deputy and Assistant Government Corporate
Counsel;

(g) The Chairmen and Members of the Constitutional Commissions;

(h) The Ombudsman, the Overall Deputy Ombudsman, the Deputy Ombudsman
and the Special Prosecutor of the Office of the Ombudsman;

(i) Heads of government agencies exercising quasi-judicial functions;

(j) Incumbent deans, bar reviewers and professors of law who have teaching experience
for at least ten (10) years in accredited law schools;

(k) The Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and members of the Corps of Professors

and Professorial Lecturers of the Philippine Judicial Academy; and

(l) Governors and Mayors.

SEC. 2. Other parties exempted from the MCLE. – The following Members of the Bar
are likewise exempt:

(a) Those who are not in law practice, private or public.

(b) Those who have retired from law practice with the approval of the IBP Board
of Governors.

SEC. 3. Good cause for exemption from or modification of requirement -A member may
file a verified request setting forth good cause for exemption (such as physical disability,
illness, post graduate study abroad, proven expertise in law, etc.) from compliance with
or modification of any of the requirements, including an extension of time for
compliance, in accordance with a procedure to be established by the MCLE Committee.

SEC. 4. Change of status. – The compliance period shall begin on the first day of the
month in which a member ceases to be exempt under Sections 1, 2, or 3 of this Rule
and shall end on the same day as that of all other members in the same Compliance
Group.

SEC. 5. Proof of exemption. – Applications for exemption from or modification of the

MCLE requirement shall be under oath and supported by documents.

Rule 8. STANDARDS FOR APPROVAL OF

EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

SECTION 1. Approval of MCLE program. – Subject to the implementing regulations that

may be adopted by the MCLE Committee, continuing legal education program may be
granted approval in either of two (2) ways: (1) the provider of the activity is an
accredited provider and certifies that the activity meets the criteria of Section 2 of this
Rule; and (2) the provider is specifically mandated by law to provide continuing legal
education.

SEC. 2. Standards for all education activities. – All continuing legal education activities
must meet the following standards:

(a) The activity shall have significant current intellectual or practical content.

(b) The activity shall constitute an organized program of learning related to legal
subjects and the legal profession, including cross profession activities (e.g., accounting-
tax or medical-legal) that enhance legal skills or the ability to practice law, as well as
subjects in legal writing and oral advocacy.

(c) The activity shall be conducted by a provider with adequate professional

experience.

(d) Where the activity is more than one (1) hour in length, substantive written
materials must be distributed to all participants. Such materials must be distributed at or
before the time the activity is offered.

(e) In-house education activities must be scheduled at a time and location so as

to be free from interruption like telephone calls and other distractions.
Rule 9. ACCREDITATION OF PROVIDERS

SECTION 1. Accreditation of providers. — Accreditation of providers shall be done by

the MCLE Committee.

SEC. 2. Requirements for accreditation of providers. – Any person or group may be

accredited as a provider for a term of two (2) years, which may be renewed, upon
written application. All providers of continuing legal education activities, including in-
house providers, are eligible to be accredited providers. Application for accreditation
shall:

(a) Be submitted on a form provided by the MCLE Committee;

(b) Contain all information requested in the form;

(c) Be accompanied by the appropriate approval fee.

SEC. 3. Requirements of all providers. — All approved accredited providers shall agree
to the following:

(a) An official record verifying the attendance at the activity shall be maintained
by the provider for at least four (4) years after the completion date. The provider shall
include the member on the official record of attendance only if the member’s signature
was obtained at the time of attendance at the activity. The official record of attendance
shall contain the member’s name and number in the Roll of Attorneys and shall identify
the time, date, location, subject matter, and length of the education activity. A copy of
such record shall be furnished the MCLE COMMITTEE.

(b) The provider shall certify that:

(1) This activity has been approved BY THE MCLE COMMITTEE in the amount of
________ hours of which ______ hours will apply in (legal ethics, etc.), as appropriate
to the content of the activity;

(2) The activity conforms to the standards for approved education activities
prescribed by these Rules and such regulations as may be prescribed by the MCLE
COMMITTEE.

(c) The provider shall issue a record or certificate to all participants identifying the
time, date, location, subject matter and length of the activity.
(d) The provider shall allow in-person observation of all approved continuing
legal education activity by THE MCLE COMMITTEE, members of the IBP Board of
Governors, or designees of the Committee and IBP staff Board for purposes of
monitoring compliance with these Rules.

(e) The provider shall indicate in promotional materials, the nature of the activity,
the time devoted to each topic and identity of the instructors. The provider shall make
available to each participant a copy of THE MCLE COMMITTEE-approved Education
Activity Evaluation Form.

(f) The provider shall maintain the completed Education Activity Evaluation Forms for a
period of not less than one (1) year after the activity, copy furnished the MCLE
COMMITTEE.

(g) Any person or group who conducts an unauthorized activity under this
program or issues a spurious certificate in violation of these Rules shall be subject to
appropriate sanctions.

SEC. 4. Renewal of provider accreditation. – The accreditation of a provider may be

renewed every two (2) years. It may be denied if the provider fails to comply with any of
the requirements of these Rules or fails to provide satisfactory education activities for
the preceding period.

SEC. 5. Revocation of provider accreditation. — the accreditation of any provider

referred to in Rule 9 may be revoked by a majority vote of the MCLE Committee, after
notice and hearing and for good cause.

Rule 10. FEE FOR APPROVAL OF ACTIVITY AND ACCREDITATION OF PROVIDER

SECTION 1. Payment of fees. – Application for approval of an education activity or

accreditation as a provider requires payment of the appropriate fee as provided in the
Schedule of MCLE Fees.

Rule 11. GENERAL COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES

SECTION 1. Compliance card. — Each member shall secure from the MCLE
Committee a Compliance Card before the end of his compliance period. He shall
complete the card by attesting under oath that he has complied with the education
requirement or that he is exempt, specifying the nature of the exemption. Such
Compliance Card must be returned to the Committee not later than the day after the
end of the member’s compliance period.
SEC. 2. Member record keeping requirement. — Each member shall maintain sufficient
record of compliance or exemption, copy furnished the MCLE Committee. The record
required to be provided to the members by the provider pursuant to Section 3(c) of Rule
9 should be a sufficient record of attendance at a participatory activity. A record of non-
participatory activity shall also be maintained by the member, as referred to in Section 3
of Rule 5.

Rule 12. NON-COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES

SECTION 1. What constitutes non-compliance. – The following shall constitute non-

compliance:

(a) Failure to complete the education requirement within the compliance period;

(b) Failure to provide attestation of compliance or exemption;

(c) Failure to provide satisfactory evidence of compliance (including evidence of

exempt status) within the prescribed period;

(d) Failure to satisfy the education requirement and furnish evidence of such
compliance within sixty (60) days from receipt of non-compliance notice;

(e) Failure to pay non-compliance fee within the prescribed period;

(f) Any other act or omission analogous to any of the foregoing or intended to
circumvent or evade compliance with the MCLE requirements.

SEC. 2. Non-compliance notice and 60-day period to attain compliance. -Members

failing to comply will receive a Non-Compliance Notice stating the specific deficiency
and will be given sixty (60) days from the date of notification to file a response clarifying
the deficiency or otherwise showing compliance with the requirements. Such notice
shall contain the following language near the beginning of the notice in capital letters:

IF YOU FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROOF OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE MCLE

REQUIREMENT BY (INSERT DATE 60 DAYS FROM DATE OF NOTICE), YOU
SHALL BE LISTED AS A DELINQUENT MEMBER AND SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED
TO PRACTICE LAW UNTIL SUCH TIME AS ADEQUATE PROOF OF COMPLIANCE
IS RECEIVED BY THE MCLE COMMITTEE.

Members given sixty (60) days to respond to a Non-Compliance Notice may use this
period to attain the adequate number of credit units for compliance. Credit units earned
during this period may only be counted toward compliance with the prior compliance
period requirement unless units in excess of the requirement are earned, in which case
the excess may be counted toward meeting the current compliance period requirement.

Rule 13. CONSEQUENCES OF NON-COMPLIANCE

SECTION 1. Non-compliance fee. — A member who, for whatever reason, is in non-

compliance at the end of the compliance period shall pay a non-compliance fee.

SEC. 2. Listing as delinquent member. — A member who fails to comply with the
requirements after the sixty (60) day period for compliance has expired, shall be listed
as a delinquent member of the IBP upon the recommendation of the MCLE Committee.
The investigation of a member for non-compliance shall be conducted by the IBP’s
Commission on Bar Discipline as a fact-finding arm of the MCLE Committee.

SEC. 3. Accrual of membership fee. — Membership fees shall continue to accrue at the
active rate against a member during the period he/she is listed as a delinquent member.

Rule 14. REINSTATEMENT

SECTION 1. Process. — The involuntary listing as a delinquent member shall be

terminated when the member provides proof of compliance with the MCLE requirement,
including payment of non-compliance fee. A member may attain the necessary credit
units to meet the requirement for the period of non-compliance during the period the
member is on inactive status. These credit units may not be counted toward meeting the
current compliance period requirement. Credit units earned during the period of non-
compliance in excess of the number needed to satisfy the prior compliance period
requirement may be counted toward meeting the current compliance period
requirement.

SEC. 2. Termination of delinquent listing is an administrative process. – The termination

of listing as a delinquent member is administrative in nature AND it shall be made by the
MCLE Committee.

Rule. 15. COMMITTEE ON MANDATORY CONTINUING

LEGAL EDUCATION

SECTION 1. Composition. – The MCLE Committee shall be composed of five (5)

members, namely, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court as Chair, and four (4)
members respectively nominated by the IBP, the Philippine Judicial Academy, a law
center designated by the Supreme Court and associations of law schools and/or law
professors.
The members of the Committee shall be of proven probity and integrity. They shall be
appointed by the Supreme Court for a term of three (3) years and shall receive such
compensation as may be determined by the Court.

SEC. 2. Duty of committee. – The MCLE Committee shall administer and adopt such
implementing rules as may be necessary subject to the approval of the Supreme Court.
It shall, in consultation with the IBP Board of Governors, prescribe a schedule of MCLE
fees with the approval of the Supreme Court.

SEC. 3. Staff of the MCLE Committee. – Subject to approval by the Supreme Court, the
MCLE Committee shall employ such staff as may be necessary to perform the record-
keeping, auditing, reporting, approval and other necessary functions.

SEC. 4. Submission of annual budget. – The MCLE Committee shall submit to the
Supreme Court for approval, an annual budget [for a subsidy] to establish, operate and
maintain the MCLE Program.

This resolution shall take effect on the fifteenth of September 2000, following its
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

Adopted this 22nd day of August, 2000, as amended on 02 October 2001.

Davide, Jr., C.J., Bellosillo, Melo, Puno, Vitug, Mendoza, Panganiban, Quisumbing,
Pardo, Buena, Ynares-Santiago, De Leon, Jr., and Sandoval-Gutierrez, JJ., concur.

Kapunan, J., on official leave.