FERRER, Johansen Z. 3G Legal CounselingL- 120274 4:30 - 6:30PM

A. Legal CounselingJ. P. Morgan once said that “Well, I don’t know as I want a lawyer to tell me what

I cannot do. I hire him to tell how to do what I want to do.” For me, this general defines

what Legal Counseling is for persons not learned in the legal profession. It is when a

counsel or an attorney-at-law provides guidance or advice to another person to help

them navigate life in accordance to the established rules or law of the land they live in.

Legal Counseling can be the one’s greatest savior and learning experience if

given by an experienced and learned counsel who does not only know his stuff but also

wants what is best for the person seeking his expertise. It is because a counsel who

knows his stuff will ensure that not only will he/she will give you the best course of

action but also you can be secured that the person will also personally help you get the

best out of the situation.

B. Relevance of Legal Counseling in the Legal Practice

A lawyer who knows how to give a great experience of legal counseling to at

least one person will be secured in his job. This is what I believe because in legal

practice to get the client one must first interact with a potential client by interacting with

such person. In such interactions, a person will get a feel or know whether the lawyer

they are talking with is the lawyer they can rely on to get the job done or get their person

out of trouble. Legal counseling also ensures that clients will not become as a one-time

client and that if a lawyer does his/her profession well then more clients will come due to

references made by the ones satisfied with a job well done.

C. Manifestations of the 10 Benedictine Hallmarks in Legal Counseling

A.1. PrayerIn Legal Counseling, Prayer is always present on both sides of the coin.

Prayer helps the clients keep their sanity and belief that they will be able to be with their

families again and provide for them despite the legal troubles they are currently facing.

Prayer helps the lawyers see that their clients are not just a source of income but a

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FERRER, Johansen Z. 3G Legal CounselingL- 120274 4:30 - 6:30PM

person just like them that needs the best a learned professional can give them given the

circumstances. It is through prayer and belief that a person who seeks legal counseling

be able to know that despite the unfavorable circumstances there will always be a

helping hand and that justice and equity will be given for all.

A.2. StabilityIn Legal Counseling, one does not seek a person who is not able to

provide a sense of stability in what he is doing as a means of living. Stability in a person

shows security to another. If shown, stability or the commitment of a person to be able

to handle challenges and changes in life in a manner favorable for all involve shows that

whatever happens a person can rely on his/her lawyer to be the guide that will help him

get through the legal problems such person is facing and sometimes actually prevent

such person in even encountering such problem in the first place.

A.3. ConversationIn Legal Counseling, majority of what happens during such time is

conversation. In conversation, one does not only listen and speak to another but also

give his/her best to understand what is being spoken of and what is not being spoken

of. Conversations allow for a person to become acquainted to the lawyer he/she is

dealing with and vice versa. It allows a person or client and a lawyer to know and

understand each other and gain each other’s trust that whatever happens the lawyer will

pull through for the client and in exchange have the client provide the truth in all

circumstances.

A.4. ObedienceIn Legal Counseling, Obedience to one’s moral inclinations and to the

laws of the land one is dealing with ensures that a client will be given security that the

integrity of the lawyer will not be compromised in a way that will not only cause the

downfall of the lawyer but of also the clients. Obedience ensures that a commitment to

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FERRER, Johansen Z. 3G Legal CounselingL- 120274 4:30 - 6:30PM

gain what is best for the client will ensure consequent actions that are best for the client

and other future dealings.

A.5. DisciplineIn Legal Counseling, Discipline of a lawyer shows that no half-cooked

work or effort will be given or presented in behalf of any client. Discipline ensures that

all possible avenues of solutions will be checked and double-checked and if there is

none to make a new path in accordance with morals and law, to answer for the problem

that the client is facing and will be facing in the future. Discipline ensures that there will

always be an end or solution to any problem.

A.6. HumilityA lawyer should always manifest humility in a lawyer. Humility will ensure

that a lawyer will know retreat when warranted. Humility in a lawyer ensures that

fairness and equality will be given in the treatment of in any of his/her clients. Humility

ensures that whether the client be an indigent or some really known person with lots of

resources, the lawyer will always treat each and every case presented any client with

the respect and effort it deserves whether or not they bring the lawyer prestige or not.

Humility ensures that what a lawyer will maintain is his integrity and not a status of

prestige.

A.7. StewardshipStewardship ensures that a lawyer is versed in keeping the respect and

care needed to maintain the integrity and dignity of all persons that a lawyer encounters.

It also ensures that a lawyer will help in fostering and teaching his clients such care and

respect in dealing with other people. Stewardship in a lawyer makes a lawyer remember

that the client and the other party are persons that should always be afforded respect.

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FERRER, Johansen Z. 3G Legal CounselingL- 120274 4:30 - 6:30PM

A.8. HospitalityHospitality of a lawyer goes together with his conversational skills.

Hospitality ensures that anyone whether an indigent or not may approach a lawyer and

be heard by the lawyer concerning any concerns especially legal concerns of a client or

a potential client. Hospitality ensures that a client will be able to reveal the truth in all

cases and be ensured that all will be kept in confidence. Hospitality ensures that after

the problem has been solved great relations will still be kept between a lawyer and his

clients.

A.9. CommunityCommunity enables a person to think and act for the betterment of the

greater good. Community is where a person with the use of his learned talents and mind

that no one is different from the other and so a lawyer if he/she sees a person in need

will help such person to be better for the community at hand. A sense of community

enable a lawyer to never forget to share his/her resources to everyone because

whatever he/she owns should not be kept just for his own but to be shared to all

specially to those in need.

A.10. Love of Christ and NeighborThe Love of Christ and Neighbor is the greatest of the Benedictine

Hallmarks that any Bedan lawyer should have. Love of Christ and Neighbor enables a

person to treat another as to how one wants others treat himself/herself. It enables a

person to provide the best legal advice and legal work for another person. It enables a

lawyer to always see a person as innocent until proven guilty and as a person who

encountered relapsed in judgment and will take responsibility of such judgment. It

enables a lawyer to help observe and enforce corrective justice to those who failed in

upholding the law and fairness and equity in dealings with other people.

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