COLLEGE OF LAW DEPARTMENT: Post Graduate

COURSE: The Legal Profession

CLASS DAYS AND CLASS TIME:

Room Time

Wednesday: G 01 - A11071430 – 1530; G 02 - 1540 – 1640; G 04 - 1700 – 1800; G 03 - 1810 – 1920.

INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Pura Ferrer-Calleja /pura.calleja@yahoo.com ; 0917 623 2256

COURSE DESCRIPTION: A short course on the history and nature of the legal profession; the duties and responsibilities of the lawyer to the court, the client, the bar, and the community in general.

The course involves the study of the works of people generally known not just for their exemplary work as lawyers, teachers, or justices but more, for their probity.

To be effective, the Socratic method will be used. On some occasions, classes may be cancelled in favor of other activities like visits to the library for more readings; to some government/private institutions; video showing; etc.,

LEARNING OUTCOMES (LO):

It may sound ambitious but the students are expected to imbibe the real nature of the legal profession and the basic principles of professional ethics that must guide them in their future endeavor.

On completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to do/exhibit the following traits:

ELGACritical /creative thinker;Reflective lifelong learner

LO 1:Develop the ability to relate the subject to actual situations/current events; be aware of the plight of the lowly, the unlearned and the poorer sectors of society; must be able to find ways and means, using the law, to help them;

FINAL COURSE OUTPUTAs evidence of attaining the above learning outcomes, the student is required to do and submit the following during the indicated dates of the term.

LEARNING OUTCOME REQUIRED OUTPUT DUE DATELO 1: Develop the ability to relate the subject to actual situations/current events; be aware of the plight of the poorer sectors of society, especially the poor and the marginalized; must be able to find ways and means, using the law, to help them;

An essay on a subject (to be given at the appropriate time) expected to show how much the student has learned from the course;

On the last day of the term in lieu of final exams.

RUBRIC FOR ASSESSMENT:CRITERA EXEMPLARY SATISFACTORY DEVELOPIN BEGINNING RATIN

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4 3 G2

1 G

The submitted work manifests qualities which go beyond the requirements.

The submitted work manifests the required qualities.

The submitted work partially manifests the required qualities. Certain aspects are either incomplete or incorrect.

The submitted work does not manifest any of the requirements.

Category 2 Mastery of the subject.

The submitted work manifests qualities which go beyond the requirements.

The submitted work manifests the required qualities.

The submitted work partially manifests the required qualities. Certain aspects are either incomplete or incorrect.

The submitted work does not manifest any of the requirements

Category 3Composition- Logic; vocabulary;grammar;etc.

The submitted work manifests qualities which go beyond the requirements.

The submitted work manifests the required qualities.

The submitted work partially manifests the required qualities. Certain aspects are either incomplete or incorrect.

The submitted work does not manifest any of the requirements

TOTAL:

OTHER REQUIREMENTS AND ASSESSMENTS:1. Attendance; class participation; mid-term essay/report; end-of-term essay/report.

GRADING SYSTEM:

The student will be graded according to the following: Mid-term; End-of-term essay – 40% Class Participation – 60 % Class attendance – 10%

LEARNING PLAN:TOPIC WEEK NO. LEARNING

ACTIVITIES

The student must learn

Introduction to the course; organization of the class into learning

1st session. Class discussion.

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how to ask the rightquestions and participate actively in the discussion.

groups; introduction of the Socratic method.

-ditto-History of the Legal Profession (Chapter II of Coquia).

2nd session Class discussion.

-ditto-Nature and Meaning of the Legal Profession (chapter III, Coquia

3rd session Class discussion.

-ditto-Perspective of Legal Education (Chapter IV, Coquia)

4th session Class discussion

-ditto-Responsibilities of the Lawyer, (Chapter V, Coquia)

5th session Class discussion

-ditto-Apostasy in the Legal Profession (Chapter VI, Coquia)

6th Session Class discussion.

-ditto-Mid-term Exam 7th Session (This may be

substituted by another activity in lieu of a mid-term exam.)

-ditto-Legal Education in the Present Society (Chapter VII, Coquia)

8th Session Class discussion

-ditto-How to be a Lawyer (Chapter VIII, Coquia)

9th Session Class discussion

-ditto-Ethics of the Legal Profession (Chapter IX, Coquia); cases

10th Sessioin Class discussion

-ditto-Survey of the Legal Profession (Chapter X, Coquia)

11th Session Class discussion

-ditto-Helping the Client without Court Trial (Chapter XI, Coquia)

12th Session Class discussion

-ditto-

Developmental Legal Services and the Philippine Legal Community (Chapter XII, Coquia; Developmental Legal Aid, J. W.Diokno).

13th Session Class discussion

Submission, end of termEssays/Reports

14th Sessioon

REFERENCES:The Legal Profession, An Introduction for Law Students and Young Lawyers of the 21st Century, Jorge R. Coquia (2003); Developmental Legal Aid, J. W. Diokno; A Nation for our Children, Human rights, Nationalism, Sovereignty (Selected writings of J. W. Diokno);

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ONLINE RESOURCES: Practical Moral Philosophy for Lawyers, Socrates and the Socratic Method BY HEATHER COFFEY (www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/4994); History of the Legal Profession http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Some class sessions may be substituted with other activities deemed more beneficial to the students.

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