How to Verify If Someone Is a Licensed Lawyer in the Philippines (IBP/Supreme Court Roll)

Verifying a person’s status as a Philippine lawyer is straightforward once you know where authority sits and what documents to ask for. This article explains the legal bases, the authoritative registries, practical verification steps, and red flags—useful for HR officers, in-house counsel, compliance teams, and the public.

1) What “licensed lawyer” means in the Philippine system

A person is a lawyer in the Philippines only if all the following are true:

Bar admission by the Supreme Court – After passing the Bar Examinations, the applicant takes the Attorney’s Oath and signs the Roll of Attorneys kept by the Supreme Court (via the Office of the Bar Confidant, “OBC”).
Roll of Attorneys number – Each lawyer receives a unique Roll No.
Mandatory membership in the IBP – By law, all lawyers in good standing are members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
Good standing & compliance – Lawyers must:
- Pay IBP dues (national and chapter).
- Comply with Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) requirements (Bar Matter No. 850 and subsequent issuances).
- Hold a current Notarial Commission (only if acting as a notary), under the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice.
Not subject to suspension/disbarment – The Supreme Court disciplines lawyers under Rule 139-B; a suspended or disbarred lawyer cannot practice.

2) Who keeps the authoritative records?

Supreme Court (OBC) – Authoritative custodian of the Roll of Attorneys, records of admission, name changes, and the status of discipline (suspension/disbarment).
MCLE Office – Tracks MCLE compliance and exemptions; issues compliance numbers and certificates.
IBP – Maintains chapter-level membership and dues records; issues Certificates of Good Standing (COGS).
Local RTC Executive Judges – Maintain Notarial Commission rolls for lawyers commissioned within their jurisdiction.

3) The four essential checks (and how to do them)

A. Check Supreme Court admission (Roll of Attorneys)

What to get:

Full name (as admitted), Roll of Attorneys No., date of admission/oath, and current standing if available.

Why it matters:

This is the ultimate test: if the name is not on the Roll, the person is not a Philippine lawyer—regardless of titles used elsewhere.

If information conflicts:

Names can change (marriage, legal change) and some lawyers use middle initials or suffixes inconsistently. Ask for the Roll No. or date of admission and verify against official records.

B. Confirm IBP membership and good standing

What to get:

IBP Official Receipt (OR) details for dues, and ideally an IBP Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) issued by the IBP national office or the relevant chapter (valid as of the issuance date).

Why it matters:

IBP membership is compulsory. Persistent non-payment may lead to administrative consequences, and many courts/offices require a current COGS for accreditation or special appearances.

C. Verify MCLE compliance

What to get:

MCLE Compliance Number (or proof of exemption), with the compliance period and date of issuance.

Where you’ll see it in practice:

Pleadings signed by counsel typically show: Roll No., IBP No./place/date, PTR No./place/date (Professional Tax Receipt, if indicated), and MCLE Compliance No. (Bar Matter No. 1922 and later directives require indicating MCLE numbers in pleadings). Absence of MCLE data in a pleading can be a red flag.

D. If the person acted as a notary, verify the notarial authority

What to get:

Notarial Commission details: commission number, period of validity, and office address; Notarial Register entry for the specific document; and the seal impression.

Where to verify:

The Office of the Executive Judge of the RTC that issued the commission. The 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice require the notary to state the commission details in the jurat/acknowledgment and keep a Notarial Register.

4) Documents and data you can request (from the lawyer or directly from authorities)

Roll of Attorneys No. and date of admission (Supreme Court/OBC record).
IBP COGS (good standing as of a date).
MCLE Certificate/Compliance No. (or exemption).
Government-issued ID matching the Roll name (to rule out identity confusion).
Notarial Commission (if relevant) and the Notarial Register page entry for the specific document.
PTR (Professional Tax Receipt) details from the local government where the tax was paid (often listed in signature blocks).
Recent pleading or entry of appearance signed by the lawyer showing the standard identifiers.

Tip: Treat each document as a snapshot “as of” its date. Good standing and MCLE status are time-bound; ask for the most recent evidence.

5) Step-by-step playbooks

A. Quick due diligence (5–10 minutes)

Ask the lawyer for full name as in the Roll, Roll No., and year of admission.
Request a recent IBP Certificate of Good Standing (or at least the latest IBP official receipt).
Ask for the MCLE compliance number (or exemption letter).
If notarial acts are involved, get the Notarial Commission details.

B. HR or vendor onboarding

Include in your checklist: Roll No., COGS (dated within the last 3–6 months), MCLE compliance for the current cycle, Gov’t ID matching Roll name.
For in-house roles requiring regular court work, ask for a standing declaration that the employee will maintain MCLE and IBP dues current and notify your company of any disciplinary action.

C. Verifying a notarial document you received

Read the notarial block (acknowledgment/jurat) for the notary’s name, commission serial, validity period, and office.
Call or write the issuing RTC Executive Judge’s Office to confirm the commission was valid on the date of notarization.
Ask the notary (or the RTC) for a Notarial Register extract showing the entry number, parties, document title, and signatures.

6) Understanding each identifier

Roll of Attorneys No. – Unique lifetime number assigned upon signing the Roll (indispensable).
IBP No. – Receipt/reference for payment of IBP dues (changes each payment/OR).
MCLE Compliance No. – Issued per compliance period; indicates completion or exemption.
PTR No. – Proof of payment of Professional Tax to a local government; may be reflected in signature blocks (practice varies by locality).
Notarial Commission No. – Issued by the RTC; valid only within the stated venue and period.

7) Legal bases (select)

Constitution (Art. VIII) – Judicial power; Supreme Court’s authority over admission to the Bar.
Rules of Court, Rule 138 – Attorneys and admission to the Bar (oath, Roll).
Rule 139-B – Disbarment and discipline of attorneys.
Bar Matter No. 850 and subsequent issuances – MCLE (coverage, units, compliance, exemptions).
Bar Matter No. 1922 (and later directives) – Requiring indication of MCLE compliance number in pleadings.
A.M. No. 02-8-13-SC (2004 Rules on Notarial Practice) – Notarial qualifications, commissions, duties, and registers.
Mandatory IBP integration – Lawyers must be IBP members in good standing (statutory and jurisprudential framework).

8) Red flags and how to handle them

No Roll No. / can’t state year of admission.
Inconsistent names (e.g., multiple middle names/initials not matching IDs).
Outdated or missing IBP COGS; receipts years apart.
No MCLE number in pleadings (where required) or claims of perpetual exemption without basis.
Notarial block missing commission details, or commission expired on the notarization date.
Refusal to allow contact with the IBP chapter or RTC about notarial authority.

What to do:

Escalate to the IBP chapter for good-standing confirmation.
Write the OBC to confirm admission/discipline where doubt persists.
For suspected unauthorized practice of law or fake notarization, preserve the documents and file a report with the IBP, RTC Office of the Executive Judge, or appropriate law-enforcement/regulatory bodies.

9) Privacy and data-handling

Collect only what is necessary (Roll No., COGS, MCLE proof).
Store copies securely; restrict access.
Use the data solely for your due-diligence purpose.
Note that disciplinary matters may contain sensitive personal data; rely on official certifications rather than rumor or social media posts.

10) FAQs

Is an IBP ID alone enough? No. Treat it like a convenience ID. The Roll of Attorneys remains the gold standard. Always pair an IBP ID with a COGS (dated) and the Roll No.

Does a Bar passer become a lawyer immediately after results are released? No. A person becomes a lawyer only upon taking the Attorney’s Oath and signing the Roll. Before that, they are merely a successful examinee.

Do government lawyers need MCLE? Many government lawyers have exemptions or modified requirements depending on role and issuances; always ask for an exemption certificate if MCLE units are not provided.

Can a suspended lawyer sign pleadings or notarize? No. Suspension prohibits practice. Notarial commissions are also affected; any act done while suspended can be void and sanctionable.

What if the name appears on the Roll but there’s news of disbarment? Rely on official confirmation of status and date. Disciplinary actions take effect by Supreme Court resolution; verify the effective date with the OBC.

11) Model request templates (you can adapt these)

A. To a lawyer (initial request)

Kindly provide: (1) full name as it appears on the Roll of Attorneys; (2) Roll of Attorneys No. and year of admission; (3) latest IBP Certificate of Good Standing; (4) current MCLE Compliance No./exemption; and (5) if applicable, your Notarial Commission details.

B. To the IBP Chapter

We request confirmation whether Atty. [Full Name], Roll No. [####], is a member in good standing of your chapter as of [date], and if not, the date when good standing lapsed.

C. To the OBC (Supreme Court)

We seek verification of the Bar admission and current standing of [Full Name], alleged Roll No. [####], admitted in [year], for compliance/due-diligence purposes.

D. To the RTC Executive Judge (Notarial Commission)

Please confirm whether Atty. [Full Name], Roll No. [####], held a valid Notarial Commission for [City/Province] covering [date of notarization], and provide the commission details and Notarial Register entry if available.

12) Practical checklist (printable)

☐ Full legal name (as in Roll)
☐ Roll of Attorneys No. and admission year
☐ IBP COGS (date: ________)
☐ MCLE Compliance/Exemption (period: ________)
☐ Government ID matching Roll name
☐ If notarial act: Commission No., validity period, venue; Notarial Register entry
☐ Cross-check for any disciplinary status with the OBC
☐ Store documents securely (date-stamp your verification)

Bottom line

If a person is not on the Supreme Court Roll of Attorneys, they are not a Philippine lawyer. For practicing status, pair the Roll entry with IBP good standing and current MCLE compliance (plus Notarial Commission when notarization is involved). These three pillars—Roll, IBP, and MCLE—give you a complete, defensible verification.