The Supreme Court, through the SC Court Oversight Committee in the Implementation of the Revised Rule 138-A (Revised Law Student Practice Rule), has collaborated with the Legal Education Board (LEB) in conducting the Philippines’ First Clinical Legal Education Summit on December 1 to 3, 2022 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taguig City.
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmuno will give the keynote address on the first day of the Summit, while Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen will also deliver a message as Chairperson of the Supreme Court Oversight Committee on the Revised Rule 138-A.
On Day 2, Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh will give a presentation on “CLEP (Clinical Legal Education Program) and Preparing the Ethical Lawyer.” Justice Singh will also provide the closing message during the CLEP Awards and Fellowship Night on the same day.
The Revised Law Student Practice Rule requires all law schools to establish a clinical legal education program (CLEP) and law clinics nationwide, anchored on the need to ensure access to justice of the marginalized sector and enhancing legal education by inculcating in law students the value of legal professional social responsibility and preparing them for the practice of law, through experiential education.
The three-day Summit, with the theme: “CLEP AT THE FRONTLINE: Paving the Way Forward for Greater Access to Justice through Clinical Legal Education,” will discuss the legal aid needs of the communities and services rendered by law clinics in the country, the potential impact of the Revised Law Student Practice Rule in addressing access to justice issues, as well as theories and principles in clinical legal education such as experiential learning, clinical pedagogy, professional ethics, and skills-building for law student practitioners.
The Summit shall also serve as a forum for law schools to share their experiences, challenges, and best practices in designing, developing, and implementing their CLEP in accordance with the requirements of the Revised Law Student Practice Rule, and explore mechanisms to expand the programs of law clinics in the Philippines.
The Summit is organized by the LEB, in partnership with the Supreme Court Oversight Committee in the Implementation of the Revised Rule 138-A (Revised Law Student Practice Rule), the Philippine Association of Law Schools, and Association of Law Students of the Philippines, with the support of The Asia Foundation and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)